I was greatly distressed to read the editorial in The Northern Star (Sept. 7) about the unfortunate events in Virginia Beach, Va. I find your accusation that the NAACP is a racist organization completely absurd and highly irresponsible. You have overlooked many salient issues regarding the situation and the response of the NAACP to the events of that weekend.

It is too easy to look at this as an isolated incident. You state that you are quite certain that the authorities would not have responded any differently to the situation had the people involved been white. I do not know where you get such clairvoyance.

Perhaps the editorial staff of this paper should be placed in charge of the world; it would save us a great deal of effort. The FBI apparently lacked your confidence and decided to ask the U.S. Justice Department to investigate.

I feel most strongly that you have a great responsibility as a newspaper to make certain that the facts are in before you pass judgment on the often complicated events around us today.

I found your editorial particularly offensive because as a regular editorial, it must represent the opinion of the newspaper that is often taken to be a reflection of the opinion of the students at this university. Most objectionable of all is the apparent lack of sensitivity on your part to the extremely complex issue of interracial relations.

Russell Etzenhouser

Graduate student

Chemistry