Last week, I was surprised to read Aaron Woell’s column against ethanol.

While I found his argument convincing, I had always believed there should be a way to keep farmers on the land, and if ethanol helped do that, then I was for ethanol. I felt sure some of this campus’s many agricultural majors would write a logical, factual and convincing rebuttal to Woell that explained why Americans should support farming subsidies. Mostly, I was wrong.

Instead, I’ve read shallow, threatening letters that acted shocked that the issue could even be raised in Iowa. Sure, several of you have explained that support for the farm also keeps other people at work in related industries. But so what?

Wouldn’t the same thing apply to putting money into the national defense, NASA or information technology?

You see people in every state with their favorite industries they believe the government should subsidize.

Of course, ethanol is important to Iowa.

But surprise people, ethanol is also a national issue. Ethanol supporters have to convince more than just Iowa. The letters I’ve read so far will not do this.

Despite the violent emotional tone of the responses to Woell’s first editorial, he put together another piece this week that rationally added weight to his argument against ethanol.

And what was the response?

More threats, more hate, and very little understanding.

Ethanol supporters, you can’t all line up under the flag of ethanol subsidies, shake your fist at everyone else and threaten to beat up “the other side.”

And because you Iowa farm boys and girls aren’t big and capable, but because you will get massacred by the millions of people who are not farmers, don’t live in a small rural state and think ethanol is welfare. (America ceased to be a rural society long ago, and even Iowa has LOTS of people who, at most, depend indirectly on agriculture.)

So, what can we do?

We (and why should I, born and raised in California, be with you?) need to explain that farming is not like other businesses.

We need to explain why America has a vital interest in maintaining a diverse farm economy.

And we need to stop preaching to the choir and start convincing the rest of America to help keep farmers on the land in an inexpensive, efficient and equitable manner.

But you know, after reading all the nasty letters “supporting” ethanol, I think you’ve changed my mind.

Why would I want to support a subsidy that produces violence, ignorance,and intolerance?

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Joel Orth

Graduate student

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