Letters to the Editor

Above all, a moral victory

To the editor:

David Copley cannot be faulted for his encouragement of students to study their history ("Doing what's necessary to win," The Daily Pennsylvanian, 3/24/03). In a time of international crisis, every citizen has a responsibility to learn about the historical context behind current events. If columnists want to ask questions like "What do slavery, Nazism, communism and fascism all have in common?" they are going to need an informed readership.

Unfortunately, an informed reader might ask Copley to clarify the question. Since Nazism is simply a manifestation of fascism, we can eliminate the word. While we're at it, slavery doesn't belong either, because it was not defeated by military force and thus, defeats the author's point.

A more accurate and complex question would be: "What do communism, fascism and imperialism have in common?" In this, we have a definitive collection of 20th century evil. We also have a different answer.

Imperialism was hardly ever defeated by military force. It was effectively ended in countries like France, Spain and Russia by internal, non-violent opposition from the bottom and the top. Ultimately, the voters called an end to exploitative war and occupation of weaker nations.

The United States, the preeminent imperial power of the late 20th century, has never had to come to terms with its legacy of human suffering like the former fascist and communist countries have. While Germany may have renounced war and the Soviet Union may have renounced its ideology, we are merely able to curb our aggressive instincts for short periods of time.

The just cause is not always the easiest cause. Attacking Iraq is easy, at least for the policy makers. We only have to put our people in harm's way for a short time (which should be little consolation to the families who are already grieving). The real battle is for the 20 percent of us who firmly oppose this war to defeat the politicians themselves. The only way we can do this is to convince another 31 percent. This will not be a military victory, but a moral victory. This is a battle against great odds, and it demands real courage. And it helps to read your history.

Alex Welsh Clerk, Van Pelt Library

The reality of protests

To the editor:

David Copley's column gives a convincing argument about the ignorance of the current peace protesters, but nowhere is this ignorance better proved than in Dan Fishback's adjacent counterargument ("Losing hope from a great distance," DP, 3/24/03).

Copley cites facts; Fishback employs nonsensical rhetorical ramblings that offer no alternative. Fishback apparently has a problem with the government arresting him for breaking the law because he and his fellow protesters jeopardized public safety. I would remind him that if he surrounded an Iraqi building in protest, he would be tortured and killed.

Whether you are for the war or against it, war has come, and nothing anyone does will change its course. Protests that shut down city blocks and force police officers to babysit the protesters instead of protecting the safety of this nation only serve the wishes of Saddam Hussein.

At best, protesting will do nothing to change events. At worst, a terrorist group will launch an attack when police are busy dealing with 200 hippies who have no appreciation for their freedoms. Now that war has begun, protesting is only selfish and egotistical, and protesters should get in touch with reality.

Tommy Richards College '05

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