To the Editors:

In response to the recent article “Oberlin Student May Face Domestic Terrorism Charge” it is pretty amazing (in an awful way) that Big Coal would go after such well intentioned innocent people with so much venom and hatred. Very dehumanizing. Somewhere some lawyer, some CEO, some middle manager, some government stooge gets up and thinks about what he or she needs to do today and “prosecute activists as domestic terrorists” is on his or her list. What thoughts go through these people’s heads, and how do they live with themselves?

It is profit, pure and simple, that is on their minds. They have all sold their souls to the $tockholder$, so if the bottom line is good, then they have done a good job. Period. $urvival of the fitte$t. Most of us cannot even imagine the circles they live and operate in. We avert our minds from trying to imagine it. If they can intimidate, bankrupt and grind a few little people into submission and get the courts to rule in their favor, then the precedent will be set and they will not have any further problems.

It is an old and sad story. And one that has to change if we are to have any hope of a just, equitable and sustainable future. As we have seen recently across the globe, sometimes this change only comes when people stand up and confront injustice head-on. I hope the Oberlin community is proud of Isabelle and the rest of the Marfork Five for the stand that they are taking.

Nathan Engstrom,
Sustainability Coordinator