[Peace-discuss] Letter to the Editor

[David Green]

Great letter, Paul, as I knew it would be. It's 30
words too long, and I think it's always good to do the
editing yourself, rather than let them. But perhaps
it's worth the risk, since they almost have to print
it.

David Green

--- "Paul M. King" <pmking at uiuc.edu> wrote:

> [fellow citizens - below is the letter i've written
> to the 
> news gazette in response to another letter that was
> posted a 
> few days ago. the letter that i'm responding to is
> first and 
> my response is last. the word count is too high, so
> i expect 
> it to be trimmed; always a painful experience when
> writing 
> on such essential and important matters. any
> feedback is 
> welcome. i will send it in tomorrow.  .:: paul king]
> 
>
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is hard for me to put into words how upset I was
> after 
> seeing the Fourth of July parade in Champaign.
> 
> This was my first year attending the parade, and I
> have to 
> admit when the anti-war display passed by I was
> taken back. 
> I thought, why would there be an anti-war display in
> the 
> Fourth of July parade? I was happy to just let them
> pass. I 
> changed my mind when I saw a man in an Army Class A
> uniform 
> pass by. By wearing this uniform and waving an
> anti-war 
> sign, I believe this man was disrespecting the
> uniform.
> 
> I can understand having an opinion and being for or
> against 
> any cause. But what was this man trying to do other
> than 
> look like a fool and invoke anger throughout the
> crowd? In 
> my eyes he was mocking every soldier who has ever
> worn that 
> uniform. He is lucky that there are men and women
> who 
> respect that uniform and wear it proudly. If it
> weren't for 
> them he would not be able to make a fool of himself
> in any 
> more parades.
> 
> I am not trying to silence that voice, but I think
> there are 
> more appropriate places and ways to get points
> across. 
> Marching in a Fourth of July parade, waving anti-war
> signs, 
> and disrespecting the Army dress uniform is in bad
> taste. 
> Maybe next year the coordinator of the parade should
> invoke 
> his freedom of speech to say no to the anti-war
> protestors.
> 
>
-------------------------------------------------------
> 
> It is impossible for me to express the anger I feel
> when I 
> reflect on the meaning of the Fourth of July today.
> How can 
> we celebrate a holiday that commemorates the
> repudiation of 
> British colonialism and empire and simultaneously
> support an 
> American imperial agenda that is every bit as
> murderous, 
> destructive, corrupt and oppressive as the British
> were?
> 
> I wore my Class A uniform and marched in the parade
> with 
> AWARE (the Anti-War, Anti-Racism Effort) in order to
> 
> demonstrate that we do not owe our allegiance to an 
> institution, an administration or even a
> geopolitical 
> entity. The genius of America is that we are founded
> on 
> principles, not force. Our allegiance is to
> democracy and 
> individual freedom.
> 
> I have not disrespected my uniform because I have
> not 
> betrayed the principles for which it stands. My
> allegiance 
> is to those everywhere who struggle against
> oppression. It 
> is our leaders who disrespect our institutions and
> betray 
> our sons and daughters who yearn to do good in the
> world but 
> whose aspirations are twisted in the diabolical
> service of 
> murderous campaigns for money and power.
> 
> Furthermore, in a democracy it is not the soldier
> who grants 
> freedom to citizens. That is how a dictatorship
> works. 
> Rather, it is the people who ultimately grant its
> military 
> the powers to safeguard their lives and freedom.
> 
> Anger precedes and serves to distract us from fear.
> I am 
> just as angry as you. What is it that we are so
> afraid of? I 
> ask you as a friend and a patriot: Can we move past
> our 
> fear, come together and begin to rebuild our society
> in the 
> image of the principles for which America once
> stood?
> 
> Paul King,
> Army Veteran, 1988-1992
> _______________________________________________
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> Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>
http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss
> 


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