This is an outrage that we are not allowed to support those who defend us because it does not flow with the week's agenda. The troops do not support violence and do not fight just for the killing. I know this since I am a soldier and fight for the rights of this country and for those who live within its boundaries. It is one thing to say that we cannot do a 'support the violence' drive but telling us that we can not support those who are dying so that we can live the way we want to live. Our morale is dependent on the support we get from the people here on American soil. Without the support of the country we lose the will to fight for it and then this country loses what it has fought so hard for, freedom.

I am sorry that the soldiers could not pick a time when there was not a "Constructing Peace" theme going on, but did we choose the war? Did we choose to fight? Did we choose to leave our families and friends and maybe never come back to them? No, we chose to do our duty, something that many Americans do not see and that is why the Support Our Troops drive is so necessary.

Supporting the soldiers is the same as rallying behind freedom. Just remember that when you sleep in your nice comfortable bed that there is a soldier somewhere sleeping on the ground in the deserts, jungles, tundra and forests of the world defending the freedoms of this country without family and friends to be there when they need it most so we must do it for them.

Collin Welch is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Feb. 8 2005.