I am writing in response to Messrs. Johnson and Williams letter in the January 23 Collegian, which I, and I would hope all students of this University, consider an affront to civilized society.

I take no issue with the fact that Americans yearn for the basic freedoms inherent to all of us, and I agree that the most influential nation in the free world must maintain a sound defense, but the espousal of social Darwinism in this letter is an insult.

Their claim that the state of education in this country is "Better than ever," and that the previous administration's cuts in education have no correlation to the dropout rate is ridiculous. It reminds me of an incident several weeks ago when then-President Reagan cut the Drug Enforcement Agency.

When queried by Senator Al D'amato Mr. Reagan said "Well, we're winning the war on drugs," to which the Senator, a Republican, replied, "Mr. President, which planet are we talking about?" One might ask these two gentlemen the same thing.

Charles Darwin's philosophy of survival of the fittest may be an appropriate creed for the tigers of the jungle, or the insects in the forest, but it's one hell of a way for a human being to conduct his life.