Anti-War Committee’s real agenda is clear

Dear Editor:

While reading the Kent State Anti-War Committee’s letter that its petition doesn’t infringe on military rights, several questions and theories loom inside of my mind. First of all, I don’t feel that the petition is aimed at satisfying everyone on the political spectrum. Why should a devout Christian sign this petition? Because the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is hurting the military’s chances of recruiting a possible linguist. But isn’t denying recruiters on campus also going to hurt the military? How is stopping the military from recruiting some of the most intelligent foreign language majors here on campus going to help the military fight the war on terror? So in reality, maybe conservatives shouldn’t sign the petition.

The other question that I have has to do with the military’s current policy on gays. Is a military without the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy really safer? Most of the people in the military don’t have a college education. Some of them are people who lived in poverty all their lives while others can’t speak a single word of English. These aren’t people that are well-read in diversity and tolerance. A gay who exposes himself in the military will most likely be a victim of a “towel party” and other abuses. The KSAWC seems to ignore the fact that this policy’s purpose is to protect gays as well as straights. Please KSAWC, can you provide proof that a military without the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will be safer? It’s not worth destroying a person’s life over a hunch that anything is better than the current policy.

I theorize that the KSAWC’s true purpose is not to fight discrimination in the military. The KSAWC knows that the policy of the military is not likely to change anytime soon. I think the KSAWC’s agenda is more closely related to the anti-military, anti-imperialist agenda of the far left. About two weeks ago, the Socialist Worker newspaper encouraged youths to stand up against military recruiters. As the March 4 Socialist Worker stated, “To deprive the military of new recruits (is) to pull the trigger.”

Nowhere in the March 4 article does the Socialist Worker say that we should kick out recruiters because they discriminate against gays.

The pressure is placed on the KSAWC to react and make their presence known in the far leftist movement. Why is the KSAWC proposing this petition now? Wouldn’t it made more sense to propose it before the war started or when the policy was first enacted? They’re proposing it now only because this is the current struggle of the far left, not because they care about gays. They’re hiding their true motive behind an elaborate lie. They’re planning to take advantage of our feelings and compassion for others to advance their own selfish political agenda.

Michael Kapronica

Junior political science major

Eating meat is part of the food chain

Dear Editor:

I never thought I would find myself saying this, but I actually agree with Tony Cox on an issue. In the March 16 point/counterpoint, Mr. Cox and Ms. Roof wrote about the ethics of eating animals and I just feel the need to say, there really aren’t any.

It is the food chain. It is natural to eat animals, just as human beings would be eaten if there were a creature higher than us on the food chain. It is all nature; you will never see a lion about to pounce its prey and stop to think, “Hmm, is this ethical?” Let’s face it: When it comes down to it, human beings are animals, too. It is natural that we take our place in the food chain.

Matthew Finamore

Freshmen political science major