Why is Tate allowed to shoot mouth off?

In my opinion, sports columnist Loren Tate was totally out of line in taking advantage of his position to foster public opinion via the local media regarding Illini football Coach Ron Zook's choices. It's very obvious that he is suggesting Zook resign.

If I, or anyone else, would choose to support Coach Zook, would I/we, be given the same amount of space?

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Tate's encyclopedic knowledge of Illinois athletics, but I feel that doesn't give him the right to use media space to publish his opinion, when that space is denied to me or any other citizen to publish our personal views.

GENE MARTIN

Champaign