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January 29, 1991
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THE VISTA
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Officer says ROTC What does American mean? cadets wait, watch efore the last word of my comment crossed my tongue, the woman seated across from me at a table in University Center turned slightly red and tried to hide the flow of hot tears running down her face. Her emotion, clearly skin deep, was as sensitive as the hair on the back of your arms. I had unknowingly rubbed it the wrong way. Another woman, seated to the left of the other, sat ramrod stiff, her face color a barometer for her anger. They had both asked my opinion of the war in the Middle East. Matter-of-factly I voiced it. Not with malice, not with vehemence, not with emotion—just told them as easily as I tell my husband it's garbage day. "You have no right to oppose the war," said the woman in tears. "Those men are fighting for liberty and democracy. They're putting their lives on the line to make sure we don't lose ours-our way of life." Her ire to the bursting point, the other woman glared at me. "You disgust me," she said through clenched teeth. "I have a relative over there and I know what this war is all about ... anyone who doesn't back President Bush is being un-American ... you don't have any right to oppose the war ... don't know
B
what you're talking about." They left shortly thereafter. I honestly thought about what they'd said. True, I don't have any relatives over in the Middle East. True, the soldiers are putting their lives on the line. I understood their reasons for supporting the war. What shook my foundation was their calling me un-American and saying I had no right to oppose the war, and that I didn't know what I was talking about. To me, being American means having the right to voice your opinions and beliefs. Whether someone else agrees with them or not is unimportant. As an American, I have the right to my own set of values and to stand-up for them. I know as much about the war as they do. As much as anyone can know about what's going on 8000 miles from home. As much as our government allows to filter down to the public. To me, and this is my opinion, it's more unAmerican to oppose free speech and the free flow of ideas than to say, "I oppose the war." Be careful, America. If Americans begin thinking as those two women do, then hasn't Saddam Hussein accomplished what Hitler couldn't ... the destruction of liberty on American soil? —Jo Pydynkowsky
student
Student in favor of war effort
I
am writing in regard to a letter you published Jan. 22, which attacked President Bush and his actions in the Mideast Crisis. The ignorance of the small minority which protests this war is very embarrassing. Do these people have any idea what is really going on? Well, it's time to wake up!!! Yes, this war does involve one of our most valuable resources: oil. Our entire economy evolves around this resource, as well as the products produced from it. Do these protestors also realize the large percentage of this natural resource the entire world depends upon from this small country called Kuwait? If a man like Saddam Hussein is allowed to maintain control of Kuwait, he will then have a hand in our own economy. Is that what we want? Our troops are not just over there for the economics of the situation, but also for the atrocities which Saddam Hussein has committed against innocent people for his own sick ego. His actions cannot go unnoticed or be allowed to continue. As Americans we are supposed to believe in doing "the right thing" and this is the right thing. Hussein must be stopped and we have the power to do that. Our military is the best and they need our support. This is a time when, as a nation, we all should put aside our differences and represent America as a whole.
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My only brother is a staff sergeant in the United States Air Force, currently serving in Saudi Arabia. I am very proud of him and support President Bush's decision to use force against Saddam Hussein 100 percent. I take these protestor's comments and actions as an insult to my brother, my family and my country. How can any individual claim to support our troops but not the war? Pride in your country's armed forces should not come with strings attached and stipulations. Therefore, any protest is unacceptable and disrespectful to the people who have fought in the past and who are fighting today to allow all of us to be able to voice our opinions so freely. As for you flag burners: I dare you to burn one in the presence of our troops, my family, my friends or myself, not to mention the vast majority of Americans who support this effort to remove Saddam Hussein from power. If the American policies upset you so, I have an idea. Take an extended vacation in Iraq! And don't come back. Our country is better off without you and your poor representation of what it is to be an American! Let's see how long you last over there voicing your opinions about war, or any subject for that matter.
—Name withheld by request
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Student Writer
and for some that means not fmishing the semester, said Lt. Col. Heintz.
The war in the Gulf hasn't changed the approach of ROTC training programs at Central State University, however, the students are faced with challenging problems, according to Lt. Col. Gene Heintz, of Central States ROTC. War is not something new and for years the United States has been preparing to defend itself against the worst of enemies, said Lt. Col. Heintz. The university's ROTC unit trains cadets to defend the U.S. and even in times of peace it's an intense job taken very seriously, said Lt. Col. Heintz. Even though the program itself hasn't changed some of the students attitudes have, Lt. Col. Heintz said. Many of the students have friends and family serving in the gulf and, as with anyone, it weighs on their minds, an ROTC cadet said. Those who serve in the Army Reserves or National Guard have the pressure of waiting to see if their unit will be the next called
Along with these types of challenges comes a change of attitude. "I think there's a greater sense of urgency on their part to learn it." Lt. Col. Heintz, said. While the challenges placed on students are enormous the ones already serving in Operation Desert Storm have the greatest challenge and our support as a nation means a great deal, said Lt. Col. Heintz. Too much support, however, can also cause problems. The current rate of mail being sent overseas is creating a backlog since plane space is down due to shipment of equipment. "No one's complaining it's just overwelming the system," Lt. Col. Heintz said. The military is receiving 12 pounds of mail each day for each individual serving in Operation Desert Storm, said Lt. Col. Heintz. For the next 3-4 weeks the military is requesting people to refrain from sending packages and instead send letters, Lt. Col.Heintz said.V
By Saundra Frantz
War touches many By Corina Ormsbee
Student Writer
As missiles explode across the Mideast some Central State University students watch and worry about the safety of their friends, family and civilians who have been caught in a desert storm. "Innocent people being killed, I don't like that. Civilians are innocent," said Hassan Hussein, a sophomore from Saudi Arabia. Hussein's father works for the Arab American Oil Company near an airport the Air Force uses. Hussein believes politicians are often
the cause of disagreements between nations. He also said he does not think Iraq will further aggression toward Saudi Arabia. "What causes the problems are politicians," Hussein said. "I don't hate anybody for his beliefs or his color." Jessica Pereira, a freshman from the United Arab Emirates, which borders Saudi Arabia, is not only worried about her father, who works for the UAE military but is worried about her country as well. "If Saddam attacks Saudi and gets Kuwait, the Middle Eastern countries are in danger," Pereira said. V
Sweet Nothings are Coming „,
