Net: In honor of George we’re dedicating this Network to America. Captain America, that is, and the firestorm of discussion he’s created on tuition breaks for international students. Give us your tired, your poor, your desiring of degrees …
THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY???
From The Black Fox: This is in regard to the fool who dares to call himself Captain America.
I can understand your gripe — after all, I am in the same boat: I’m running out of money. But don’t you think it is important that these people are choosing Minnesota to come and study? Isn’t it important to get a world view of things and help other countries improve themselves? Net: Not in our backyard, Foxy. Besides, whatever happened to “Minnesota Nice?” Net: It died with welfare reform.
As for your alias, you don’t deserve it! Your narrow-minded and racist ideas go against all of the beliefs that Captain America stands for.
Plus, he is a copyrighted/trademarked character!! So next time you write in, watch what you say, or I’ll sic Marvel Comics on you!

From America First!: Poor Captain America. I know you will be flamed bad in today’s Network. Net: Those who play with fire … It isn’t hard to predict the response you will receive from the young PC University crowd: A person who isn’t liberal in their youth has no heart, and one who isn’t conservative later in life has no brain …
Folks, the gist of the issue is this: America is not obligated to be the world’s higher educational system. Period. For someone paying in-state tuition, the state absorbs 57 percent of the cost; hence, we are subsidizing foreign students with our tax dollars. Additionally, the Commonwealth Terrace Cooperative housing, which is property-tax free in order to assist single parents and married students in attending college, houses 83 percent foreign students. Net: Could you give us a source on that? Sounds like an interesting story … The waiting list for CTC is two years long; I personally know many Americans who wish to move in, but are prevented by the waiting list. Again, we are subsidizing the presence of foreign students through tax relief.
Of course, the central argument to be made in keeping a high population of foreign students is that it increases diversity. However, every foreign student displaces a potential U.S. student. Which groups do you suppose are being out-competed for these spots? Inner-city students, predominantly! These are the students who have the most difficult time getting into and affording college. Perhaps we should allow our own economically disadvantaged minorities and inner-city residents to live in our state-subsidized housing, and afford these students the tuition waivers being offered to foreigners.
Folks, this is the University of MINNESOTA: By, of, and for the people of Minnesota. Net: That shall not perish from the earth, darnit! Our tax dollars pay for it, and we should be the ones benefiting from it.

From Kami-Sama: This is in response to Captain America’s article in Friday’s paper.
Captain America doesn’t seem to have a broad world perspective. He does not seem to realize that what happens in Japan will happen here eventually. Unless we support our world village, we can expect financial crisis in the future.
Captain America also thinks that Japan would not give him a dime if he were there. I think he is wrong. Last spring, I received a scholarship to travel to Japan for three months. During these three months, I had some financial trouble and was given more than $1,000 that allowed me to continue traveling throughout Japan and experience things that otherwise would have been impossible for me.
Asian students bring not only profit to our state, but also a world perspective that is important for all college students to understand. If Captain America would take his ethnocentric head out of his ass for a moment he might see the knowledge and experience he could gain by talking to an Asian student.
Now on to the important issue: If his girlfriend is having so much trouble with finances, she should look into getting student loans or maybe a JOB. My first suggestions to her would be to dump her stupid boyfriend and find someone with a little knowledge of world economics and money management.

From Mr. Mad: I am writing to relate my story to Captain America’s views.
My fiancee went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison her first two years of college. She paid a reciprocal tuition, similar to out-of-state tuition. She then returned here to finish her degree. She was within 32 credits of earning her degree when we got a letter from the student loan people. It said she had exceeded her eligible loan amount and would no longer be able to receive financial aid.
Why in the world anyone thinks that students from other countries “deserve” a helping hand is beyond me. My fiancee deserves to be able to finish her degree, which she has five years invested in. She deserves the student loans needed to finish, AND she is willing repay them for the rest of her life.
Why should someone from another country receive better treatment than her? Why should people rush to provide support for foreign students before helping people like the citizens and students of the state of Minnesota? Especially since we will pay the money back, because we are going to stay in the United States and pursue the American Dream, and we are the future of America.
I don’t mean to sound cruel, but if a student’s parents can’t afford to pay their tuition in America, then they should have to go/stay home. Or, they can come here and BORROW the money, just like my fiancee did.
If they can’t borrow it, they should go out and work two to three jobs 60 to 70 hours a week to pay for school like we did. They can spend 15 to 20 years paying off $50,000 of student loans like we will be.
People need to realize that it’s not the United States’ duty to provide anything for anyone EXCEPT the citizens and residents of our nation, and those states.
I could go on, but choose to prevent that vein in my head from exploding. Net: You can give it a rest. We’ll be back tomorrow.