I am excited about the idea that Mia Love could be breaking down racial barriers.

But some of her views—like eliminating federal student loan programs—are too extreme and will decimate the middle class.

Middle-class people who don’t qualify for a Pell grant, because their parents make too much money to qualify and can’t afford to pay for their children, depend on these loans. Without these programs that include low interest rates, Love makes it more difficult for people like me who wish to pursue a graduate degree and others who choose to pursue an undergraduate degree.

In regard to her eliminating hand-outs, if you ask anyone who has a student loan and is in the middle of paying it back, they will attest that these are not hand-outs. Love dreams of cutting into the deficit, but she would also be cutting many dreams of attending college.

Love is an extremist and, if she were not a black Mormon female, would be unknown and buried on the back pages of City Weekly. As a black male born in Utah and an alumnus of the University of Utah, I’m not afraid to say that Love’s political views scare me. If you are part of the middle class who can’t afford to pay for your child’s college and don’t qualify for Pell grants, I know you’ll agree.

WALTER O’NEAL JR.
North Hollywood, Calif.