Mitchel's column lacks tolerance

As I sat with my mouth agape, reading Duncan Mitchel's opinion column entitled "Minorities of the World Unite" (Jan. 26), I wondered what could possibly be the point of this piece. How ironic that the "coordinator" of the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Speakers Bureau at an institution of higher learning would be so inept as to reduce his judgments of others to broad generalizations. It is not only unethical to generalize about any race, color, or sexual preference, it is (or should be) unacceptable. \nNow, this is not to say that Mitchel's feeble attempt at sarcastic humor in this piece eluded me, because it did not. In fact, I fully expected the conclusion of this column to be a comment on how the first part of the story might be amusing, but not actually grounded in reality. In fact, the ignorance only increased as I read. It came as a shock to me that I am classified as lacking "decorous behavior and good manners" simply because of my race, gender and sexual preference. I see no relationship between these factors. In fact, this point of view sounds eerily similar to that which Mitchel has tried to attack (unsuccessfully, I might add).\nIf I were a member of the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Speakers Bureau, I would take a long look at how, and by whom, my program is being coordinated. Teaching tolerance, discussion and constructive debate is something for which many minority groups have long strived. Mitchel's attitude is doing nothing to advance this cause. Perhaps he should practice some of the tolerance and understanding that I'm certain he expects from others. It still astounds me that the IDS felt it necessary to print Mitchel's column. Certainly there must have been something more newsworthy or educational to print.