In his Oct. 22 column regarding the Day of Action, Mike Lacy went on for 70 lines to insult a group of NIU students. I do not personally subscribe to many of the “hard-core liberals” points-of-view. I, as Mike Lacy, regard myelf as a fairly realistic person. But realism does not equal conservatism. University professors and students lack the financial resources to effectively lobby for their rights. In this world students cannot “bring about change working from within the system.”

The true responsibilities for educational shortcomings lie in Washington, D.C. To reach the Capitol and the White House, students will need more than a column in the Star or a few chants around campus.

Last year, in Spain and Fance, hundreds of thousands of students rallied in the major cities, at times fighting the police—literally collapsing both countries for a few days. Government officials at the highest level were forced to resign, their policies turned down and, in the case of Spain, financial help for students increased by 300 percent. That is realism.

At American public universities, the problems we face are a lack of general interest and involvement on the part of students to fight for our rights. That, sadly, is another reality.

Manuel S. Vicents

senior

Management