To the Editor,
I am writing in response to Matt Richman's last article. For weeks now we have read articles, seen protests, and heard various people speaking out against the war in Iraq.
To support his Socialist position of activism, Mr. Richman mentioned that Thomas Jefferson committed civil disobedience by writing the Declaration of Independence. I agree, however if one reads the document one will come to the part that says, ".it is self evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." This is the American ideal of freedom, a freedom that the Iraqi people do not have due to the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein. I take great offense to Mr. Richman comparing my founding fathers to the present communist radicals masquerading as peace activists. Freedom does not mean the absence of corporations, rules, religion, or an organized society like some will tell you. It means that we are equal under God and all of us deserve the right to make up our own minds as to how we should live and be governed. The people of Iraq will have that freedom after we liberate them. I despise killing and destruction but I love freedom more. The freedom to worship God, to work towards success, and to participate in the government are very dear to me and many Americans. It is this liberty that we will give to the Iraqis and anyone else who desires it.
Some Americans, however, have forgotten how we obtained the freedom to protest our own government. We had to fight for it. I ask all persons opposed to this war: If I transported an Iraqi child to your next protest, how would you justify to him why he should remain a slave of Saddam?
Matthew Esposito
