Readers defend war protesters
Anti-war advocates
justified
in protests
Well, here we go again. By his
letter (DN, Feb. 8), Jinn Friend proves
he is incapable of seeing the forest for
the trees.
Jim, wise up. Gail Steen’s refer
ence to you in her letter as a hypocrite
was not a personal attack against you,
just an observation upon your intoler
ance and your blatant, misguided
jingoism. I notice, however, that your
outrage at this perceived injustice did
not prevent you from making further
‘personal’ attacks on war protesters.
You label the protests as unwar
ranted attacks against our president
and our nation’s war effort. 1 don’t
accept that these arc attacks, but
whether they are or not, they most
assuredly are not unwarranted. The
president has, typically, mishandled
this situation with predictable Re
publican party-line hamhandedness,
and, Jim, not everyone, myself in
cluded, is willing to stand idly by and
pretend that this macabre, obscene,
opportunistic horror show is anything
other than a gross, politically and
economically expedient road apple
laying in uic sun.
Not for nothing, Jim, but you had
best sit through another session of
your constitutional law classes, the
ones that you find it hard to believe
that Steen attended; 1 find it hard to
believe that you attended them, oth
ei wise you would never have allowed
the question you ask in your letter to
see the light of day. You ask, “Am I a
hypocrite to believe you should be
allowed to speak, even though I think
you’re wrong to do so?” The answer
to this, Jim, is a resounding yes, be
cause this issue is part of a political
forum that involves more people than
just you or me. But then, Jim, you go
on to make the appalling statement
that “just because you have a right to
do something doesn’t mean that you
ought to do it.” I beg your pardon,
Jim. Please tell that to Rosa Parks or
Lech Walesa.
One last thing. You seem to be
under the impression that the troops
in the gulf are susceptible to mood
swings in regard to perceived lack of
support on the home front, and you
bemoan a “weakening of morale”
should they get wind of the activities
of war protesters. I submit that they
have other things more pressing to
fret and stew over, to wit: half-a
miliion land mines buried beneath
the sand; facing the fourth-largcst army
in the world, an army that is seasoned
and battle-experienced (as opposed
to our forces, made up mostly of
-LETTERS tTh°e EDITOR
skittish, college-age sacrificial lambs);
and being able to determine in the
dark whose tanks are whose, so as to
not fry their own comrades. If the
troops are indeed spending time pout
ing about anti-Bush protests, then they
have too much unoccupied time on
their hands. Therefore, Jim, feeling
as you do on the subject, and being so
eager to show your support, may I
suggest you pack up your megaphone
and your propeller beanie and head
on over to Saudi Arabia in the capac
ity of cheerleader. There is nothing
like acting on one’s pnnciplcs in order
to achieve personal fulfillment, and
life is too short to be miserable.
Wes Jackson
sophomore
English
Soldier’s morale
not affected
by protesters
Recently Jim Friend has had two
letters published, 1 would love to criti
cize the large amount of nationalistic,
right-wing B.S. expressed in both
letters, but B. Gail Steen already had
an excellent response (DN, Feb.6) to
Friend’s first letter printed.
It seems that many people feel that
anti-war protest in some way hurts
the troops. As Mr. Friend put it, pro
test is “treasonous” and causes the
troops to feel “unappreciated.” First
of all, protest is not treason, it is a
right. Secondly, since when did a
little criticism hurt anyone? One must
have an extremely weak mind to let
another’s contrary opinion affect them.
The military did not lose in Vietnam
because of dissent in the United States,
it lost because the Vietnamese were
too tough. I mean, a fighter’s per
formance does not decrease because
there exist people who are pacifists.
That man (or woman) still will do all
that is within hisability to surviveand
to be “victorious.” So chill out and
quit worrying about protesters, Friend.
Finally, I must add a few political
opinions. The United States has terri
bly selective foreign policy. Why is it
not invading the West Bank and Gaza
Strip to kick Israel out? Why can the
United States depose the leader of
Panama, and Iraq not have the right to
do the same to Kuwait? Also, Kuwait
is merely a small tract of sand that
was not ruled democratically. The
Kuwaiti monarchy is a pack of spoiled
oil barons. I could care less if Iraq
owns it. And do not tell me, “Oh, but
now Saddam controls all the oil.” In
the first place, he does not; and in the
second, if you are so worried about
oil, I suggest you find an alternative.
Jon Dokter
sophomore
physics
Nations
should strive
for understanding
This letter is written in response to
Arshad T. Syed’s letter (DN, Feb. 7).
He states that David Bcrges’ letter
was totally off base and incorrect. I,
however, found Mr. Syed proving, to
some degree, Mr. Bcrges’ letter cor
rect, possibly unconsciously.
Mr. Syed tells of western women
being “forced” to mingle with friends,
to wear slinky dresses and to take
hours making themselves beautiful
for their husbands. Did it ever occur
to you, Mr. Syed, that western women
did these things for themselves? To
express their own sexuality and feel
ings?
y ou laix about now Islamic women
have the “privilege” of not having to
pray and fast when going through
their monthly cycles, that they arc
“allowed” to keep their maiden names
and that they are “permitted” to hold
on to their wealth. I’m sure that they
are forever indebted to the Islamic
men for granting them these privi
leges. However, in the western world,
these sorts of “privileges” are a given
right for women. They are equal in
the choices.
You state that mothers “earn a
place in Heaven.” Where do the single
women go? In the western world,
women choose their own religion. Do
they in Islam?
When it comes to situations like
this — the western culture versus the
Islamic culture — debate can con
tinue forever, and for the simple rea
son that the two cultures are greatly
misunderstood on both ends.
Instead of stating all the personal
opinions and misconceptions, we
should work to understand that the
two cultures are fundamentally dif
ferent and one needs to respect them
both for what they are, even if they
are radically against one’s own be
liefs. One can’t give the answer when
one does not understand the question.
Chris Haliigan
junior
arts and sciences
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