Wise Up, Hollywood--Troops <i> Are </i> the War

Re “A Love Song to the Troops” by Steve Hochman, Feb. 12: If I understand correctly, the money from the “Voices That Care” video will go to “the groups supporting the troops and their families.” Will this include groups that support the troops but not the war?

I found a lot of waffling going on in the article, indicated by statements such as “regardless of how I feel about this (war), I want people over there to know we are for them” and “we all have private (political) feelings, but I’m keeping mine to myself.” And then there was a marvelous example of hypocrisy in the lyric of the video’s song--”I’m not here to justify the cause. . . .”

It takes an ultra-liberal dog-in-the-manger attitude to come up with “we support the troops but not the war.” The troops are the war; either support the cause and the war or don’t try to assuage your guilt with handy phrases.

It’s obvious that fear is running rampant in Hollywood with few celebrities stating firmly that they support the U.N. resolutions, the President, the coalition and the use of force to get rid of a menace to the entire world.

The songs of Irving Berlin and George M. Cohan supported war efforts honestly, openly and bravely. Their message wasn’t “we love you, but we don’t like what you’re doing.”

CHARLES ISAACS

Los Angeles