Why in the world would Sweeps editor Greg Feltes send a turned-off cynic to cover the protests over the Cheney event? Casey Toner’s “first-hand account” amounted to coming around after both the protest rally and subsequent Democratic rally had ended. Having decided he had “better things to do with his time” than actually attend the rally, this so-called reporter still undertook to describe with disgust what he imagined had taken place and managed to find a “heavily tattooed, hell-bent anarchist” to give the protest a negative rating.

Toner seems to feel he is above the fray, but thank goodness there were several hundred enthusiastic students who do feel involved enough to exercise an important aspect of a democratic society: the right of free speech. All of us, but particularly young people, have a huge stake in the upcoming election, and knowing the press would be full of the partisan speeches at the Convocation Center, students and members of peace, labor and environmental groups alike felt a responsibility to express their opposition. It was an added treat that the Democratic party arranged for Sen. Dick Durbin, whom so many of us admire, to come to DeKalb and proclaim a different view from that of the hawkish Cheney.

Hopefully the next time Feltes wants a first-hand account of something, he’ll find a reporter who will at least attend the event he’s supposed to be covering.

Cecile Meyer

DeKalb resident