The Oct. 30 Daily Collegian featured, I thought, one of the best opinion columns of the semester. Unfortunately, Aaron Gentzler's piece was overshadowed by the tasteless cartoon above it.

Pete Swierczek's effort depicted a doctor giving his patient cyanide, declaring it to be "just as good as nitrous oxide," with the caption "Russian dentists." This is one of the most startlingly tasteless and ignorant things I have witnessed within the pages of the Collegian. More than 100 innocents are known to have died as a result of the hostage incident in Moscow last week, and that toll is likely to rise. What is most unsettling, however, is that Mr. Swierczek seems unable to distinguish between Russia the nation and the Russian government. I too have many concerns about the way in which President Putin handled the Moscow siege, particularly regarding the lack of information given to doctors treating rescued hostages. However, the cartoon fails to separate Putin and his government from the Russian people at large, rather it appears to be a throwback to the jingoistic Russia-bashing of the Cold War era. Lest it escaped his attention, the Cold War ended more than a decade ago, Mr. Swierczek. If the best satire you can muster is piling lame derision upon the perceived failings of other countries, at least make sure it's current.