This letter is in response to the comments made by Adam Schettler over the past few days about the Time for Peace Books Not Bombs rally that took place April 2 (April 1 letter to editor, “Books Not Bombs protest missing facts and comments in the April 2 article “Books Not Bombs rally calls for peace”).

First of all, it was impolite, disrespectful and even hypocritical of Mr. Schettler to say in his letter Tuesday that the protest was missing facts before it even occurred. And then, he didn’t even have the nerve to show up to the rally and see for himself if his conjectured statements were correct.

Also, I found Mr. Schettler’s comments in Wednesday’s article absolutely insulting. Some of us do not come from rich families and rely on federal grants and loans programs to pay for our college education. I come from a lower-middle-class family. My parents are financially unable to help me pay for school. Am I not entitled to an education? Working part-time barely takes a bite out of ever-increasing tuition payments, so I have to use grants and loans. If it weren’t for this federal funding, I couldn’t go to school.

The government has a certain responsibility to help educate the people so we can prosper as a nation. There is enough homelessness and poverty in this country without denying many Americans their right to higher education. (I won’t even mention cuts in welfare and other such government programs.)

Mr. Schettler also failed to realize that funding isn’t only being cut from higher education. Due to budget cuts, primary and secondary schools throughout the country are understaffed, overcrowded and being denied necessities such as new books.

Maybe Mr. Schettler and others like him should think before they make assumed statements about something they don’t know that much about. You will actually learn a lot if you open your mind and listen to what people have to say.

Erin Blasdel

Freshman

Pre-Business