Super Wal-Mart good for community

Come on now folks, get a grip! I've about had it up to my eyeballs with this Wal- Mart bond issue thing. Our mayor and the Board of Aldermen deserve to have the trust and support of this community as they work to meet the present and future needs of Oxford. No one can deny that the growth of Oxford, as well as the university have put a tremendous burden on our roads and infrastructure. We must assess these issues now and in a way that would benefit the overall community. Wal-Mart is willing to help pay for these improvements, and we would be fools to ignore that fact. As far as I am concerned Wal-Mart has as much right to be here as any other business.

Like every other business in this community,Wal-Mart pays taxes and is a good community neighbor. This is America, the land of the free, and Wal-Mart has the right to be here and adhere to the democratic principles of free enterprise just like any other business in country. Competition is a fact of life, and if it's not Wal-Mart, it will be somebody else. What Wal-Mart will do for the expansion and improvements along West Jackson Avenue will be a blessing. Ask any of the merchants and businesses along that road. The demands of a few do not dictate the good for us all. And in reference to Mr. Porter's callous and insensitive remark in the July 6 issue of The Daily Mississippian, more people buy shoes at Wal-Mart than you know.

Jennifer Knapp
Senior
Managerial Finance
Oxford

Summer dates optimal for Rush

There is continual debate concerning the fall Rush schedule. Clearly, for some the absence of a Greek system is the ideal solution.

For many of us who have been involved in every area -- Rushee, pledge, member, alum, parent -- the best choice is obvious: before classes begin.

An early schedule enables students to focus on classes and adjustment to college life, with no anxiety and anticipation of a later Rush week. Study halls are in place; a routine is established.

Greek members do not have to battle the exhaustion and time conflicts that come with mid-semester Rush. With no limits on meetings, they can make fewer early decisions, with time to consider all Rushees fairly and carefully. Rushees can make individual choices, instead of those made as a group with friends in the dorm.

I have been advised that the university abolished the pre-fall schedule because they feel that individuals should be students at the university before going through Rush. In other words, they want to make sure that everyone pays full tuition even if he or she eventually decides to drop out.

This policy does not serve the best interests of the students. Allow them to participate in Greek activities if they choose to do so. Schedule Rush at a time producing fewest conflicts, the least amount of stress and distraction for everyone. Membership recruitment does not have to affect the classroom.

Ole Miss can be a great public university offering both a strong independent population and an equally strong Greek affiliation. As a parent, it angers me to see my children put into this situation, especially when a solution with far more positives than negatives is available.

Lee Case Embry
Ole Miss Graduate 1968
Grenada