This letter is in response to last week’s article by April Laney.

April’s letter was an attack on the various national flags that were flown for international week. She was outraged that we here at UTM would fly the flags of countries who ‘support a dictator regime’.

While I understand the tension between our nations in this time of war, I think we need to remember that these countires are not always voluntarily a part of the ‘dictator regime.’ A dictator is just that, a dictator. The people are often given no choice.

It is not fair to disgrace an entire nation soley based on the action of its minority representation. These countries are often misrepresented. The actions of one person or group does not define the morality or attitude of a country any more than one psycho unibomber defines or correctly represents this American nation.

I sympathize with the millions of people trapped in a society they do not support. We have to remember, though, that these people are oppressed and are not granted the freedoms of expression that we Americans are so lucky to enjoy.

So why can’t we fly the flags of these other countires? There are many people here on this campus who represent many different countries, and the last time I checked these people were not plotting to bomb anything or planning an attack.

They are regular people just like everyone else here. Why discriminate against them? Furthermore, April made the statment, “I know that we should all be tolerant of other nationalities here on campus and I am....”; well, here’s my question: What is there to tolerate?

The very word is an offense. We should not tolerate people of other nationalities here on campus, we should welcome them.

They are great people, so fly their flags and show some respect.

Our military is not fighting the common citizen, it is fighting their oppressors.

Rachel Toy is a junior Psychology major from Lyles.