Soldiers with faces\nTo the protesters: My father's name is Joe, he's 42 years old and a Democrat. He's been in Iraq for a month now, and he should return home in November. My step brother's name is Scott, he's 35 years old and should be coming home from Iraq in three months or so. \nI wonder how they feel when they read the newspapers or watch the news and see how so many Americans make their efforts seem futile or worthless. Maybe the U.S. occupation in Iraq isn't the best situation or even the right option. I can't say because I've never been oppressed, nor have my ideas gotten me in any amount of trouble (except when I get a little too excited in class discussions). I've taken my ability to protest or speak out about the war for granted, as I'm sure many have. \nI respect those who think Bush is an idiot or the Anti-Christ or whatever. But I can't fathom the amount of disregard our troops have seen. I don't remember Scott signing the declaration of war, but he's there, fighting for the belief that maybe, just maybe, he's helping at least one person obtain the freedom he or she deserves or wants. The soldiers in Iraq aren't Bush's little mindless puppets. They're people, some barely out of high school or college. They're friends, family, somebody's child. They have ideas, dreams. They're not faceless entities, or just names on a list. \nI want my father and Scott to come home, just as much as the protesters want the occupation in Iraq to be over. But this is something they believe in, at least enough to chance the risk of death. And should they lose their lives, I would like to tell my little brother that they were heroes. That they died for something they believed in, even if, at times, it was futile and hard. I'd like to believe that they didn't die for a worthless cause, but for at least one person's freedom. Even if that doesn't mean much to others.\nStacy German\nContinuing student
Practice what you picket\nI was very troubled by the front page picture in the IDS (Feb. 1) of the College Republicans asking anti-war protesters "Aren't you supposed to be in Canada?" My question for the College Republicans is "Why aren't you in Iraq?"\nI had three close friends who took President Bush's place and went to Vietnam. One committed suicide shortly after returning from the war. I am not interested in having my sons or daughter taking the place of the College Republicans in Iraq.\nIt is easy to be for war if you are a hypocrite. \nIt is much harder to be an adult and bear the responsibilities of your positions.\nKen Dau-Schmidt\nGraduate student
Date of protest not a coincidence\nI am writing about the coverage of the protest of the American occupation in Iraq. The article "War in Iraq at center of campus clash" by Michael Zennie (Feb. 1) passed judgement on the group, completely ignorant to their message. The article displays the irony of protesting the occupation on the day after the Iraqis had their first democratic election. The date was no accident. The article and the critics missed the entirety of the protest's point: A democratic election cannot be fair if it has to take orders from an American occupation. Candidates in Iraq were turned away for supporting American withdrawal, and Interim Prime Minister Alawi said the Sunni president's suggestion for the United States to leave was "nonsense." If France had occupied and liberated us and installed a puppet figurehead -- turned away candidates, all while declaring us a democracy -- do you think the IDS would have the courage to tell it like it is?\nElaine Barr\nFreshman
