Super troopers
I have read thousands of articles in my lifetime and few require me to respond in writing. However, Ted Rall’s article “Don’t support our troops” [AfterThought, March 18] may be the most repulsive editorial I have ever read in print. It makes me sick to think there is someone out there taking up air space and writing this crap! It is because of our finest and bravest that he is even able to write this garbage. Politics and beliefs aside—pro-war or anti-war—when your troops go to fight you support them.
I would hope Rall’s position is not the position of your publication or you’ve lost a reader—and I will spread the word!
Brett Russell
Crozet
Regular guy
Thank you sincerely for printing Ted Rall’s “Don’t support our troops” opinion column! I experienced that as a breath of clear fresh air in an otherwise toxic fog of media and government disinformation. Maybe you feature his writing regularly? In any case, please do continue to print his political writing.
McCune Porter
Louisa
Individually marked
I at times get disgusted with people talking about supporting our troops as a reason to support the war [Mailbag, April 1]. It’s bullshit—you do not support someone by objectifying them. As one of your readers pointed out, most of those troops signed up for economic opportunity or just a way to get out of their hometowns. There is a certain number who would really prefer not to be there and even some that have moral qualms about what is going on there. Would the war mongers who call on us to “support the troops” equally support an individual soldier’s right to say “I want no part of this!”? No, they would automatically proclaim them a coward and a traitor.
The fact is that I can’t support our troops. They’re all individuals. If one of them wants out maybe I can support him with knowledge or referrals. If one of them wants to make a political stand I can support his courageous act as a fellow activist. If one of them is lost and just can’t work his way through all the disinformation, I can provide useful information or sources of information. But like Ted Rall mentions, if they’re there because they really want to be a part of this genocide then I am not morally obligated to support them. With that said I believe I offer far more support than some because I am talking about what they as individuals want, and not supporting faceless soldiers without a mind of their own.
Spot Etal
Charlottesville