Imagine $70,000 in cash. Picture 70,000 $1 bills stacked high, or 7,000 $10 bills or 700 $100 bills. However you want to look at it, it's a lot of money.
And now imagine your university. Think about your classrooms, your programs, your professors, your equipment, etc. Now think of any problems or shortcomings that $70,000 in cash would help in some way to alleviate. Pretty easy to do, right?
Well, $70,000 is how much Accent thought it was appropriate to spend to have a famous NBA basketball player come and entertain 3,200 people at the O'Connell Center on Tuesday night for an hour or so. Was it really worth it? Did he really have anything to say that was worth $70,000? Oh, and you are aware, of course, that he is already an extremely wealthy man, right?
You have got to be kidding me - $70,000!
OK, sure, he might inspire people with his life story and his achievements on the basketball court, but that inspiration can be derived from him without actually seeing him in person.
About six to seven years ago, Bill Clinton came to speak, and the building was filled to capacity. Many people were turned away at the door. His two-hour speech was electrifying, inspirational and informative in so many ways. It was even replayed later on the radio. That felt worth it to the community.
I hope that you will encourage Accent to spend your money more wisely and bring in people who are truly "speakers" and have a message that is meaningful to more people than just a few starstruck sports fans.
Anthony Ackrill
Gainesville resident
