Columnist Althea Cole is duller than a butter knife

I’m proud to subscribe to The Gazette because my dollars support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-like programs that make space for diverse perspectives such as Althea Cole’s. Even if I find her wit — exemplified in her recent column “Maximize your pro-Palestine college protect experience” — duller than a butter knife.

Without Cole, who would defend megacorporations and militaries such as Israel’s that kill an average of 1,144.5 people a week according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health? Who would support the man that repeatedly drove past an anti-war demonstration at the Pentacrest months ago hurling a pejorative term for the female anatomy suggesting my fellows and I were weak? Or who would stand up for yet another man who parked his car on Clinton Avenue charging at us with fists clenched ready to attack?

One objective of public demonstration is to affect the national conversation. To suggest anti-war demonstrators haven’t achieved this of late is detached from reality (as I believe many expressions of patriotism are). Demonstrators don’t need Cole’s sarcastic advice.

Cole calls these activists naive, compensating for inexperience with idealism (how awful!). Yes, they’re naive enough to believe we could improve the world by waging peace instead of war (how terrible!).

Cole seems to write for the elite or older generations. These groups need to respect these innocents — they’re our best defense.

Sam Bakken

Associate Member — Veterans For Peace Chapter 161

Iowa City