To the Editor,

As a progressive and a firm believer in freedom of speech, I am still compelled to write in regards to the “editorial” that was published under the title “There is Only Room For One Holiday.” My daughter attends GVSU. She was outraged when she read it and forwarded it to me.

After the first reading I was not only very uncomfortable with many of the words used but also with the tone. Upon second reading and closer examination one might even think that Mr Slattery is only being satirical. While this may be so, the fact that this appeared on an editorial page as part of a university sanctioned and funded paper is unacceptable. Repeating anti-semitic phrases and pandering to many students who I believe may not have taken this as satire, if in fact it is, is surely not something my tax dollars nor the tuition that I pay should be used for.

IF this is not satire, and that can be the only defense of such hate speech, Mr Slattery needs to apologize to the student body and to every single immigrant in this country. Unfortunately his third grade teacher never really read A PEOPLES HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES by Howard Zinn, nor do I believe did Mr Slattery. Without engaging in a history lesson, religious persecution was only one of the reasons that the settlers stole this land from the Native Americans.

So the next time the editorial page decides to print something which comes off as hateful rather than satirical, maybe a disclaimer would have helped. I sincerely hope this is much ado about nothing and if it is not, then GVSU needs to issue an apology and Mr Slattery needs to have a long timeout.

MARK KELLER

Birmingham, Michigan