Patriots With Questions About Iraq

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the criticism of The Newtown Bee for covering the Antiwar Vigil for Peace. The Newtown Bee is a local newspaper and has a responsibility to cover local news. If a large group of area citizens gather for a significant reason or purpose, I believe it is newsworthy. Therefore, I would expect to see coverage of the event. Thank you, to the editors, for consistently covering our news each week.

 I respect Cindy Sheehan for her courage. I am deeply saddened that she lost her son and for all the families across our nation that have lost loved ones for this cause. I feel that I owe it to anyone who has paid that price to listen to what they may say. I have listened for two years to people tell me why we should be fighting in Iraq. I have listened, but I have a different opinion. That does not mean that I don’t value our servicemen and women, pray for their safety and grieve for the deaths and severe injuries that occur each day.

I am against this war. I was against it when our Congress voted to give the President the power to invade Iraq. I did not feel we had sufficient reason then to invade a foreign nation, and I do not feel we have any better reason to be there now. I take exception to those who may call me “unpatriotic” because of these opinions. My father, like Mr Alexander, is also naval veteran. He was an officer who fought World War II in both the North Atlantic and the Pacific. He also feels that we should not be in Iraq. And like I do, he takes exception to those who would say he is unpatriotic and that he does not support our fighting men and women.

I am grateful to Cindy Sheehan because I think it is time we had a national dialogue about what our long-term purpose is in Iraq and what shall constitute a “victory.” I want to hear more from our commander in chief about when the forces, who have served multiple tours, are going to be allowed to come home. I want to talk about it, because I do care about the families and about the young men and women who are being called to serve and may die. I have not read the same history books as Ms Meister and I am no expert, but I am a proud and patriotic American who does not believe we should be expending lives and countless millions of dollars every day in a desert in the Middle East.

Respectfully,

Barbara Snyder

105 Walnut Tree Hill, Sandy Hook                           August 30, 2005