to the editor/ the military
To the editor,
I found it interesting that Kerry and Bush felt that America’s military is on their list of piorities. Frankly, I don’t believe them. Niether Clinton or Bush has done anything for the military. In fact, they have cut the military and have backed base closures. I come from a line of veterans. I’ve seen my grandparents’ retirement plan cut, their medical reduced. They have to go through more hoops now to get medical care and the perscription drugs they need. My parents are going to off base hospitals more now than they used to. I would imagine that eventually, when my mother and father need medical care and their retirement pensions the most, that it, too, will be cut. I have heard from people outside the military that we don’t need a military. Or that reducing it is the right thing to do. These people obviously live in a fantasy world and do not read the news. Terrorist bombings happen on a regular basis in Europe, Africa, and the middle east. There are mothers in these countries that are afraid to send their children to school for fear that a suicide bomber will come along and kill everyone in the school. There are college students that don’t go anywhere on spring break and spend their Friday nights at home because suicide bombers don’t have any qualms with going into clubs, bars, restaurants, or movie theaters. One of these days the terrorists will declare the U.S. an open bombing ground. Oh, wait, they have, and we still insist on reducing or getting rid of our military. Our military fights so that you can board a bus and not worry about being killed. So that you can go to the above-ground church of your choice and not worry about being flogged or killed for that choice. So that our children can go to a school where suicide bombers are not a threat. So that our college students can have fun on Friday nights and on Spring Break. So that I can write articles in the newspaper like this one and not be killed for it. So that you can enjoy the movies and entertainment of your choice without having the government censor it. As Americans we are currently free to choose as we please. And yet we still want to cut our military or get rid of it. We need our military. If you get rid of it, America will no longer exist. There are foreigners out there who read up on U.S. news more than we do. They know we have reduced our military. They know that the U.S. feels that its military is not needed, and they are waiting to attack. So while you follow the latest scandal involving Britney Spears, they read up on our country and shake their heads. If you value the freedom that America stands for, then you will back our military.
Candace Leutzinger801-540-9864cleutz@cc.usu.edupreferred email: bassplyr45@yahoo.com