Dear Editor,

I find myself compelled once again to write you in response to comments in an editorial that seem out of place in a publication like the Lanthorn. In particular, I found the last two paragraphs highly offensive. It is absurd (not to mention grossly naive on the author’s part) to compare the current political and social environment in Michigan to that of countries like Egypt and Libya. For starters, governor Snyder did not seize power by force, he was democratically elected by a vast majority of Michigan’s citizens, a process many Americans seem to take for granted (and forget that many countries, including Egypt and Libya, have no such luxuries). Furthermore, it’s a safe bet to say that governor Snyder will not order the National Guard to open fire on protesters in Lansing, nor order air strikes against them, as the rulers of Egypt and Libya did. To imply that he is somehow a dictator like Qaddafi or Mubarak is utterly ridiculous.

Additionally, I find the implied threats of violence against the governor in the last paragraph shocking, and suggest the author receive some psychiatric help before they actually do hurt someone or themselves. Violent uprising should never be an answer save for the most extreme of circumstances, and, I assure you, we are nowhere near such circumstances. To claim some budget cuts, enacted on behalf of the people of Michigan no less, are akin to the full suppression of democracy and other freedoms, along with genocide and keeping one’s citizens in true destitution (which Michigan is not even close to), demonstrates a tenuous grip on reality at best.

Governor Snyder is enacting the will of the people of Michigan. He outlined exactly what he planned on doing during the campaign, and 58% of the people of Michigan voted for him because of it, while Bernero got less than 40% of the vote. This same process has happened all over the country, because the people of the USA are realizing we cannot keep going on the course we were and spend our way out of debt. Reality doesn’t work like that.

Brian Hudson

GVSU Student