The recent letters to the editor concerning Eric Hiatt’s invective about America illustrate the knee-jerk reactions and lack of critical-thinking skills this campus seems to possess. Few of the letters examined WHY Eric Hiatt would write with such frustration, bitterness and extremism.

Some of the writers implied they regretted Hiatt’s Constitutional right to free speech. How does that alleviate his frustration? Please, instead of resorting to name-calling, stop to think why he wrote what he did.

He is right, to an extent, about our freedom of speech. Books are challenged yearly for the right to be in libraries or taught in schools.

The Harry Potter books are suffering from challenges because magic is written about in them.

“Nappy Hair” was challenged because the parents didn’t read the entire book or stop to think about it. We ARE lucky to have the First Amendment because otherwise hundreds of books you know and love might never be read or taught.

America is a great country. But are we, as Americans, so arrogant that we believe we are the best we have ever been and can become?

We’re here for a reason: to better ourselves. We’re supposed to become better thinkers, listeners and debaters, always striving for truth and justice.

Rather than wallowing in the mire of the status quo, we should strive to be all we can be — and that includes our government.

The bad things about our country do not “outweigh the great and inspiring things,” but should those few bad things be ignored? Small wounds can fester into gangrene, too.

Emily Woline

Senior

English and secondary education