Editor, Daily Nexus,

I was irritated by how John Buttny made a big deal of Brooks Firestone’s taking contributions from some Isla Vista housing providers. By making an issue of this, he is saying these people have no right to speak, or perhaps that they are somehow evil for providing us housing.

I know it’s fun to gripe about landlords, but the fact is that students treat housing very hard, and so property owners have to work just as hard to provide the level of housing we do have.

Furthermore, if the housing problems in Isla Vista are so serious, where has Buttny been? Isn’t he the guy who is constantly bragging about everything he has done for the last 18 years? Mr. Buttny is very intelligent and has been able to push issues he cares about.

But what about I.V.?

If, after 18 years, there are housing problems in I.V., why should we not blame Buttny? Why should we not ask him to take responsibility for the lack of sidewalks in I.V.? And how hard can it really be to get better street lighting? And why don’t we have bikepaths in I.V.? And why is parking so hard in I.V.? Why should we not blame Buttny?

And why, with Buttny working so hard on it, has there been no new housing in I.V.?

I sort of conclude that maybe 18 years is enough!

Maybe, by talking loud about Firestone’s contributors, Buttny is trying to take our minds off the real problems. Does he think we are that dumb? Why should we not ask Buttny to answer for all the problems and to stop just blaming the other guy?

Maybe it is time to blame Buttny!