I applaud James Gerber for his thoughtful and respectful column ("A plea for action," Feb. 14). James captured the essence behind supporting our troops and appropriately discerned that support from protests of the war. Whether or not you agree with the decisions of the people who sent our young men and women to fight doesn't change the fact that they are fighting and dying. However, many people, including some in the Tufts community, fail to see what James and I see.
I was in the sixth grade when the "first" Persian Gulf War began. Each of my classmates and I wrote letters to individual soldiers from our town. Scott Binding was my pen pal. Through our correspondence, I learned about Scott's family back here at home and the sports he played in high school. He was a real person to me, not just a name.
In March 2003 just after the war in Iraq began, I attended a rally coordinated by the Tufts Republicans and Reserve Officers' Training Corps to support our troops (see "Republicans hold troop-support rally," Mar 28, 2003). At that rally Sam Dangremond said, "This is not a pro-war gathering, this is a support-our-troops gathering. This is a gathering to unite as a Tufts community and to thank our troops."
A small group of antiwar protestors also attended the rally, but for different and discourteous reasons other than to support our troops. The protestors held signs that read "No war," "War on Iraq: The rich lie, the poor die," and "Bomb Texas: they have oil, too!" while they deliberately butchered the lyrics and melody of the Star Spangled Banner, among other patriotic songs, as the rest of the group, including three local Veterans of Foreign Wars members, tried to sing and show their support.
Although I am not big on participating in the protest rallies myself, I have only a few issues with others who rally to protest the war. As Gerber's article was a "plea for action," I plead with you in these regards: remember why you have the right to protest, understand that our troops are our peers, and don't ever get so caught up in your protests that neither your minds' eye nor your actions blur the distinction between our troops and our policy-makers.
Perhaps if you took the time to reach out to a soldier, any soldier, fighting for our country, you will see that our military is more than expensive fighter planes, big guns, tanks, and artillery. I'm willing to bet that you would meet a Kimberly Dougherty or Scott Binding and find a face underneath the camouflage of their job.
Scott made his way back home after the war, but we did not keep in touch. I know that Scott runs his own business in the town where we both grew up and from time to time I see a work truck bearing his name. Scott wouldn't know my face now that nearly fifteen years has passed since I was in the sixth grade, but I could refresh his memory with a simple explanation. Nonetheless, I give Scott a little salute when I see one of his work trucks as my own way of saying thanks.
So go to your rallies and protest your hearts out, you have every right to. But please, please, reach out to support the troops who protect our rights and may you never forget that they are the ones who are making the real sacrifices whether they agree with the war or not.
Darrell Interess graduated in 2003 with a degree in engineering
