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Letters to The Platteville Journal for June 26
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Vindictive ...

Last week Gov. Walker named a UW–Platteville Engineering Physics student to the UW Board of Regents. As a professor emeritus of the Engineering Physics department, I couldn’t help but feel proud.

Then the appointment was withdrawn, most likely because the student’s name was found on the gubernatorial recall petition. I couldn’t believe it! I still can’t come up with the appropriate (and printable) adjectives to describe Walker’s action, but words like vindictive, paranoid, childish, despicable, Machiavellian, Stalinist, petty and low-class come to mind. I suspect that this action is unprecedented in the history of such appointments.

Shame on Scott Walker. I thought I had seen the nadir of his administration, but I was wrong again. Just how low can that man stoop? Taking out his wrath on a college student must have all state employees looking over their shoulder.

Fred Domann
2306 Stumptown Road, Platteville

… or politics

Like Prof. Domann, I was thrilled by the nomination when I first heard the news. I felt that the nomination was a great achievement for UW–Platteville and especially for the named student. I too, was dismayed when I learned that the student’s name had been withdrawn from consideration due to his stance on the Walker recall fiasco.

I disagree with the good professor, however, when he calls Gov. Walker’s actions as “vindictive, paranoid, childish, despicable, Machiavellian, Stalinist and low class.” I call the governor’s actions a simple case of politics. Since I don’t know the student personally I cannot presume to know his political affiliations nor his reasons for supporting the recall but I do have to question if the professor’s political bias, based upon the tone of his letter, might have contributed to his students activities.

Perhaps the professor could better serve his students and the university if he spent more time explaining Newton’s Law of Motion, which states “For every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.” In the instant case, if you want to get nominated for the UW Board of Regents you don’t try to get the nominator fired.

James P. Knautz
Hazel Green 

The Platteville Journal will print most letters to the editor, regardless of the opinion presented. The Journal reserves the right to edit material that is libelous or otherwise offensive to community standards and to shorten letters the Journal feels are excessively long. All letters must be signed and the signature must appear on the printed letter, along with a contact number or email for verification. Some submitted letters may not be published due to space constraints. “Thank you” letters will not be printed. All letters and columns represent the views of the writers and not necessarily the views of The Platteville Journal.