I write today in response to Joseph Kastner's completely disrespectful March 1 Viewpoint "Koch's left-wing lie diffuses true intents of war." How convenient that Kastner associated left-wing voters with a communist dictator. He went to the extreme of calling V.I. Lenin the left-wing "idol." A common misconception to some is that McCarthy hearings should begin whenever someone decides to question an action their government takes. Since when is any government infallible?

Another major lack of respect occurred during Kastner's claims of what the leftists "want you to believe." How dare he refer to the United Nations as "scum!" The UN is an organization created partly by well-respected Americans in order to create peace and justice and promote basic human rights. The fact that the United States increasingly turns their back to the advice of some of the most knowledgeable and culturally informed people in the world is an example of the ethnocentric attitude Americans have been developing.

Kastner's second paragraph began by calling the left-wingers "asinine" and "hypocritical" in their claims to support the troops but not the war. My question is how, exactly, would Kasnter like leftists to support the war? By wearing a bracelet that reads "One Shot. One Kill. No Remorse. I Decide."? I am extremely grateful to the brave men and women who risk their lives in pursuit of freedom. I support those men and women to the point that I want them to be able to live with themselves upon their return from Iraq — knowing they killed innocent civilians for reasons they may or may not necessarily believe in. I may not agree with what those men and women are being ordered to do in Iraq, but I support them as fellow humans. I support the troops by saying: We've made a huge mess over there. Whether it was necessary or not no longer matters because it has been done. Let's clean it up and get those troops back home to their families.

The Viewpoint's last paragraph began with a quotation from Edmund Burke that stated "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing?" I agree that no one should sit around and do nothing about the atrocities occurring in our world. However, I will respond to that quotation with the old saying: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Yes, the United States is in Iraq trying to liberate the Iraqi people and what a beautiful thing that could be. However, in the process, troops are also killing innocent civilians and the government is imposing American culture and government on the Iraqi people. I know there is a better way to go about this than war.

Kastner's entire Viewpoint was filled with the normal finger-pointing and name-calling associated with any angry radical who refuses to look at anyone else's point of view.

Emily Byrum is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 10 2005.