Letter to the Editor
“… It’s time for Prius drivers to quit constantly patting themselves on the back and maybe they should get a rag to finally wipe the smugness off their faces…”That is a somewhat insulting thing to say. Yet Andrew Mell wrote it in Feb. 2 opinion section. This raises a few concerns for me.How would the letter-writer know whom the columnist talks to?
Who does Andrew Mell think has this smug look? Has he actually gone out into our community and our college and talked to people who try to be environmentally conscious? Or is he simply buying into the stereotype of the “snobby environmentalist” that he hears about on Glen Beck? His entire column seemed to be based on a TV show he watched called “Top Gear.” It would be nice if Andrew would write columns that weren’t entirely based on things he saw on TV. It would be nice if he actually talked to at least one environmentalist before he insulted them by telling them to “get a rag and wipe the smugness off of their faces.”
There are so many resources on campus that Andrew could be using. He could have spoken to WMU’s own SSE and asked them about environmental transportation. (most of us ride bikes, not Priuses btw)
Most of Andrew’s columns seem to respond to things he has seen on TV, and he doesn’t realize that the people who actually live in this community and read his columns are nothing like the stereotyped image he has in his mind of “those crazy environmentalists.”
Please Andrew, do some research next time. If you’re going to right a column on racism, talk to some actual black people in Kalamazoo. If you’re going to write a column on environmentalists, talk to some environmentalist. Please stop assuming you know what other people think. Is that too much to ask?
Moreover, who does he think he is? This is the guy who wrote a letter smearing the WMU College Republicans over the Faculty Hall of Shame. He never even bothered to take his own suggestion and contact this group before submitting his error-riddled diatribe.
Further, he also authored a column comparing skeptics of leftist claims about global warming to holcaust deniers.
Smugness, thy name is Willie.
1 comment:
This is quite the letter. The pulled quote is in reference to Prius drivers. Yet Willie doesn't reference the Prius or Prius drivers during this whole letter. In fairness, I haven't read the whole article. But from what I can draw and what I can tell you from my knowledge of cars, the Prius, and the show Top Gear, the Prius is actually not environmentally friendly so it would be right for people to get rid of their smug smile if they're driving one thinking they're helping the environment. And if you actually watch Top Gear, you'll see that while it's entertaining, it's a fairly factual show.
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