After reading the letter to the editor titled “Anti-War protest demonstrates lack of respect for American troops,” I can only say I was a bit confused.

I’m glad that the student who wrote Friday’s letter to the editor was enthusiastic about the anti-war protest. So were all of the people who took part in it. But what I found interesting was that the writer called red paint a “grotesque [image] of blood” and further claimed that the images used in the protest “left nothing to the imagination.”

I think the American people need to stop leaving things to the imagination, because often times they don’t try to imagine war at all. War is, unfortunately, such a glaring, yet far removed, part of our history that Americans don’t really value what’s actually going on. Sometimes we need a swift kick (or in this case, some red paint and wellworded signs) to help us picture just a little more clearly what war is like.

I feel that the passions of America are fueled largely by the ignorance of its people. I understand that many believe the war in Iraq to be one that is completely justified, but I don’t feel that it is. But differing opinions are what make America so great.

The important matter in this argument is that the soldiers in Iraq are in no way devalued by protests such as the one that took place Friday. The men and women in our armed forces are brave for their actions, no matter whether the war is just or not.

However, after reading Friday’s letter to the editor, it’s obvious to me that the protest was severely misunderstood. It was against war, and really had nothing to do with the armed forces. I spoke to several of the protestors, who made every effort to make clear that they are in no way cheapening the actions of American troops.

From what I understand, they simply wanted to protest against war in general. Not a particular war. Not American soldiers. Just war.

I think the protest was docile in comparison to what could have taken place. I am a pacifist, and I don’t believe war to ever be a just or good alternative. It should be implicit that I’m not speaking against troops when I say that. It’s very simple: I’m anti-war, not anti-soldiers.

Kristin Wood
senior English major from Bakersfield, Calif.
kxw03d@acu.edu