I remember the first time I ever voted for a presidential candidate. I cast my ballot in a shoebox, along with the rest of my pre-school class. I was torn between Clinton, Mommy and Daddy's favorite, and Bush, who my teacher had recently informed me was born in my small town.

Today you will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. There is certainly cause for celebration: the inauguration of a black man as president '-'- in a country that once tolerated slavery and segregation '-'- will be looked upon as one of the proudest moments in American history.

In the final days of President George W. Bush's term in office, the outgoing administration has brought politics into the doctor's office. The 'Provider Conscience' regulation was implemented to guarantee health care professionals their right to practice in accordance with their personal moral standard.

Yesterday's editorial ('A Call for Peace,' Jan. 15) does not seem to focus on discussing peace and avoids many realities on the ground. Since the conclusion of the Six Day War in 1967, Israel has offered numerous opportunities for the Palestinians to exchange land to be used as a country for peace.

In an editorial Thursday ('A call for peace,' page 6), Gaza was mistakenly referred to as a country, which it is not.' Also, the Palestinian civilian death toll was mistakenly identified as over 1,000.' This is the total number of Palestinians killed.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be taking place halfway around the world, but many Boston University students are expressing their outrage toward both sides through online protests and by rallying in the streets of Boston.

In the course of discussing political events across the globe, it is easy to lose sight of the human element involved in all military and political struggles. Therefore, it is no surprise that in a letter to the Daily Free Press yesterday ('Israel must end its brutality,' Jan. 14) Hassan Awaisi ignored the fact that for years, Israelis have lived in fear of rockets ripping apart their homes and causing chaos and death.

In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate health care coverage for all residents. To make health insurance as affordable as possible, state-subsidized low cost plans are available for those who qualify financially. However, not everyone has access to these less expensive plans.

The 2008 year may be over, but the effects of last year's economic slowdown are still being felt. Boston University has been hit especially hard, as illustrated by the 24.1 percent decrease in the endowment and the recent prediction of a $10 million budget gap for the year 2010, which President Robert Brown announced in a letter to BU faculty and staff Monday.

Gaza: A recurring nightmare is haunting the inhabitants of this crammed, impoverished strip of land. For too long, the Palestinian people have suffered under the heel of a brutal oppressor that boasts one of the world's most technologically advanced and well-funded militaries.

Recently, medical students began circulating a petition to express, as the letter states, their 'outrage at the brutal Israeli attacks and subsequent humanitarian disaster that is occurring in Gaza.' This petition maintains that Israel is crushing the nearby Palestinians and causing a human rights crisis.

There is a piece of conventional wisdom by veterans of the Baby Boom generation '-'- spoken by many, but none more eloquent than speechwriter and columnist Peggy Noonan '-'- that the period known as 'the 1960s' did not begin on Jan. 1, 1960 and did not end on Dec. 31, 1969.