Your editorial paying homage to the 1,000 soldiers who have died in Iraq was an appropriate and well-written reflection about the human costs of this deteriorating war ("1,000," Sept. 9). The observation, however, that troops in Iraq "are a snapshot of America" should be clarified to give credit where due.
Minorities are over-represented in the military when compared to the U.S. population. The troops are also less socio-economically diverse than one might imagine, with nearly half coming from poor, rural areas ("Military attracts blue-collar recruits," The State, Oct. 2, 2003).
Accordingly, soldiers from rural areas die at twice the rate as soldiers from metropolitan and suburban areas ("Iraq war takes uneven toll at home," National Public Radio, April 3, 2004).
Of course, all soldiers deserve our appreciation, but it is important to consider the fact that Americans do not equally share the burden of war.
David Polk
LA '05
