Peace Marches in the Wake of Sept. 11

“Thousands Hit the Streets for Peace” (Sept. 30), on the protests held in L.A. and Washington, helped to clarify something: just what it is that the “peace” movement is protesting. “One woman pushed a baby carriage draped in a sign that read: ‘Bombs and babies don’t mix.’ ” True enough, but apropos of what, especially in light of the number of children killed in the attack? “Islam is not the enemy.” Yes, I recall the president saying the same thing. So what are they against? Does anyone with the IQ of an ice cube actually believe that there are plans to carpet-bomb Kabul?

Your statement that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund had canceled conferences and that the organizers of the marches had changed the focus of their protest from antiglobalization to antiwar made it all quite clear. It isn’t so much that they are against anything in particular that brings meaning to their lives but the fact that they are “against.” We are talking about a large number of victims of oppositional disorder. Whatever Mommy and Daddy want, they get all red in the face, stomp their feet and shout “No!” For a 2-year-old, this is normal behavior. For someone in his or her 40s-plus, it is a little sad.

Walter W. Matera

Lakewood