PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Letter to Editor
by Matt Waker Friday, Apr. 04, 2003 at 1:37 PM
Walkster1@aol.com

This is a letter Im writng to my highschool newspaper.

This is a letter that I am writing to my high school newspaper. An article said that by fearing the draft, we are anti-American. I would like to hear some feedback and any advice, before I send it in.

Dear Editor,

After reading the March 31st issue of The High Post, I would like to respond to an article that was published in the Op-Ed section of the newspaper. “Standing Tall in a Time of War”, an article about the recent war with Iraq, and the fear that many high school students possess about the possibility of a draft, deeply offended me. Although many things in the article were untrue, and many of them stereotypical (i.e. “hippy-mentalities”), the one comment that offended me the most was the statement that by fearing the draft, we are anti-American.

War is never a good idea, and almost always results in death and destruction that is unimaginable. Soldiers have been tortured, killed, and some have never been found. A draft, in which randomly selected men are told that they must defend their homeland would throw many of us into situations like these. For these reasons, I do fear the draft, yet I am in no way, shape, or form – anti-American, I simply do not believe in violence, nor do I believe that this is a good enough cause to risk my life for.

We aren’t defending our homeland either. We are intruding another country and attacking their homeland. If we are supposed to protect America, then shouldn’t the people of Iraq be able to protect Baghdad? There are no Iraqis on American soil attempting to murder our president, and many think that it has already happened with September 11th. However, there is no evidence as of yet to support this, and it has been well documented that Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden virtually hate each other.

On March 20th, 2003, I was arrested, along with 121 other people in downtown Pittsburgh. As much as many like to say it, this does not make me anti-American. I am simply standing up for what I believe in, as the author of this article was. It is wrong however, to tell us that by fearing the draft, and attempting not to go, that we are anti-American. I am in no way a Saddam supporter, and I do agree that he needs to be out of power, but I don’t think that by killing more people, that we are going about it in the right way. Does this make me anti-American? No. I would never in my life enlist in the military, and if, by chance, there was a draft, you wouldn’t find me. Is this being anti-American? No, its standing up for what you believe in, as our constitution gives us the right to do so. Once again, I do respect other’s opinions, but calling me anti-American because I fear the draft, or do not support our country in this war is wrong.

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