Last Tuesday, Bob Mate put his two cents in against the sentiments expressed in Brian Baranowski’s Viewpoint from the previous Thursday. I believe that Baranowski wrote a straightforward Viewpoint that respectfully challenged Mate’s arguments. Considering some of the other content published this year in the Tribune, Mate was likely eager to publish Baranowski’s Viewpoint, knowing that he would roast Baranowski over an open flame in his column.

Several friends and I submitted Viewpoints to the Tribune last semester supporting President Bush’s Iraq policy, while Tribune columnists and Viewpoint writers — including students like Mate — constantly bashed Bush and U.S. policy toward Iraq. However, our articles supporting Bush were not published, and Tribune staff explained to me that it was not the appropriate time. I guess it was the appropriate time to bash the president because there was Viewpoint after Viewpoint doing this.

While Mate may assert we live in a “Fox News world,” reading this Viewpoints page makes me think Marquette’s in a “New York Times world.” Students are getting only the liberal side, while the other side is portrayed as extremists for defending their beliefs. Mate, I feel sorry for you; you’re too blinded by ideology to see things as they really are. After reading your column, it wouldn’t surprise me if you do the same thing to me that you did to Baranowski, knowing that I cannot respond. Although I do not agree with you, I respect you for having an opinion. I hope you are professional enough to respect my opinion. Mate, I challenge you to open this page to more thoughtful debate from both sides. This is what this page is about, right?

Wilke is a senior information technology major.