[Peace-discuss] Grandpa's letter in N-G Today

[Jan & Durl Kruse]

AWARE protesters are courageous

Friday April 20, 2007

  I write in response to the April 5 letter from Craig Wakefield of  
Homer.

His adoration of Mark Thompson seems misplaced. Perhaps Thompson is  
generous to some. But I witnessed his rude and ungenerous haranguing of  
those present on March 1, as we were trying to hear a grieving mother  
speak. We were there to hear how her son, a soldier, was killed in Iraq  
for no good reason. We did not come to hear a bully who tried to take  
over the event.

Wakefield claims AWARE needs to do its research before launching  
attacks on such a civic-minded person. But I saw a bully seeking  
attention that night.

Wakefield did not do his own homework. AWARE, though active with  
anti-racism issues, was not the lead group in the long overdue  
retirement of Chief Illiniwek. Other community groups worked long and  
hard to finally bring that sad chapter to a close.

As our civil liberties and freedoms continue to erode, AWARE advocates  
exercise free speech while we still have it. The scary proposition for  
innocent Iraqis and U.S. soldiers whose lives are being sacrificed in  
an endless war, is a continued U.S. presence in Iraq.

A war based on lies is not about defending freedom.

As a veteran I find it difficult to be patient with self-centered  
bullies.

It takes courage to be a part of AWARE, especially when those bullies  
try to trample our freedoms both here and in Washington, D.C.

  ROBERT WAHLFELDT

Champaign
  Find this article at:
   
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/opinions/letters/2007/04/20/ 
aware_protesters_are_courageous
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