Some Oppose War, Some Oppose Protest

Re “Antiwar Activists Join Forces,” Jan. 19:

Since the Vietnam War, I have regretted that I was not out marching and supporting the antiwar activists. I was a mother with babies and struggling in a doomed marriage at the time. This time I am a grandmother and have cancer, but I made certain I participated in the Orange County march in Yorba Linda last weekend.

There were hundreds of people there, and I was struck by the numbers who were my age and older. I wondered how many of them felt as deeply as I did about not entering into another Vietnam situation. It was heartening to see all the young families pushing strollers, the hippie types singing the old anthems against war, and the vast showing of solidarity of those in cars passing the march.

I am embarrassed by the U.S. official stance on this and cannot explain to my many international friends why President Bush is doing it. The media must share the blame. From Day One, they have treated the whole Iraq question as not “what if” but “when,” contrary to what the man and woman in the street want.

Dixie Mitchell

Irvine

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I regularly exchange e-mails with my grandson, who is a new recruit in the U.S. Navy. He is now overseas and, of course, we are all concerned about him. In his most recent e-mail, he states he is aware of the antiwar protesters in our country and he and his buddies are afraid we at home will not be supportive of their actions in Iraq.

He is convinced he is doing the right thing, but hearing about these activities at home doesn’t help his morale.

I hope these protesters realize how their actions affect our young people in the service who are just doing their job.

Mary J. Monk

San Clemente