The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

    No place in news for “hate-driven” generalizations

    When I first sat down to respond to David Green’s article regarding the football game on Sept. 11, I found myself struggling to think of where to start.

    I thought I might point out that 9/11 observances aren’t inherently putting more importance on those lost in the World Trade Center attacks over those fighting abroad, but that they are a way to mourn for those lost in a manner through which this country was never prepared.

    There have been countless wars fought in our history, and as a country we try to honor our troops as much as possible year-round.

    But 9/11 was a decidedly different beast, and as a specific date in history stands out in our minds quite differently than, say, multi-year-long wars.

    Then, I thought I might instead start by expressing my shock in the manner in which he characterized our armed forces. If he’s going to lump the student body together as “overwhelmingly white, privileged, Block-I students,” so be it, he clearly had a bone to pick with us. But to then turn around and say that those serving abroad are simply the “poverty-drafted members of [our] cohort” is not just blatantly wrong and offensive, but also incredibly ignorant and borderline hateful.

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    But then I realized that what I was most upset about wasn’t actually the article itself. I can’t count the number of times I’ve disagreed with opinions expressed in the DI over the years, but I also understand that that’s the nature of being a part of such a diverse student body. I’m not gonna agree with everyone. What I was upset about, though, was that this article was even printed to begin with. I keep re-reading it trying to see if there was an editorial reason or purpose, but I can’t find one. It simply serves to be divisive.

    All Mr. Green has brought to the table are his demands to the University from an extremist standpoint, during which he characterizes his opponents in a negative (not to mention false) manner, subjecting us all to the lowest form of journalism. Why was this deemed necessary to print? I understand that the opinions page is meant to allow anyone to get their voice heard, I had just hoped it would be filtered from opinions that only serve to do harm.

    James Geary,

    University Alumnus

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