Public Comment
Letters in Response to Capt. Lund and Code Pink
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Editors, Daily Planet:
Thank you for printing the letter by Captain Richard Lund. I work in a building on University Avenue. I am a woman, I am a mother, I am the wife of a veteran, I am a liberal, I am a democrat, I am a staunch opponent to this war, and I am an enemy of President Bush. And I am ashamed.
Wars aren’t created by the military, they are created by politicians and their self- serving constituents.
The Code Pink protest is an insult to the sacrifices made by heroes like Captain Lund and the other men and women serving in our military, and does no service to our cause of ending this war.
Please forward along to Captain Lund our support and our thanks.
Bridget Haverty
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Editors, Daily Planet:
Bravo for printing Captain Richard Lund's letter. There is still some equal rights alive in Berkeley.
Yvonne Holcomb
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Editors, Daily Planet:
I want to thank this paper for printing the open letter from Captain Lund to Code Pink. While we here in the Midwest know that those in Berkeley oppose anything to do with the military, it is still guys like Captain Lund who defend their rights as Americans.
I personally feel that Code Pink is run by extremists and communist sympathizers and should be locked up. Especially when I hear about what they do in the halls of congress. One of our greatest presidents ever, Abraham Lincoln, suspended habeus corpus and imprisoned “Copperhead Demo-crats,” who emboldened the enemy during a time of war. Just like Code Pink.
Keith Best
Waukesha, WI
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Editors, Daily Planet:
Please stand together and show the members of Code Pink what a disgrace they are to your community. Little do they understand that Captain Lund has put his life on the line defending the very freedoms Code Pink used to dishonor him. Code Pink should be blushing for only one reason—out of embarrassment and shame for their actions.
Sonia
San Diego
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Editors, Daily Planet:
I don't see how anyone could ever show disrespect to an officer; especially a Marine.
It's like the person who hates police, but when someone is breaking into your house; they’re the first people you would call.
You would think he would be treated with cheers and excitement being new in the area. Where is the neighborhood hospitality?
Unfortunately, we have in America people who hate being American. If they find such bitterness with officers that are here to protect us from an invasion from a foreign enemy, then they should just leave the country asap. We don't want people with that kind of attitude living here in this country. Good luck with the country that would take them in. They would do the same immature behavior there as well.
Berkeley should kick out those kinds of spoiled brats out of their city. God Bless our Marines.
Catherine Le Bell
Los Angeles
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Editors, Daily Planet:
Thank you for printing Captain Richard Lund's letter on 10/02 to Code Pink. It was the carefully measured response of a professional military officer to pseudo intellectuals who think they know so much but are in fact grossly uninformed.
It is fair and right of you to at least let those you probably disagree with have their say in the matter. If it were not for that Marine and many like him, there could be no protest at all.
Rick Murray
Redmond, OR
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Editors, Daily Planet:
I am curious if Code Pink ever responded to this well-written article. If so, please send a link. Though I live in northern Minnesota (identified as democrats), the support for our troops and military structure is extremely strong.
Cliff Gawne-Mark
Duluth, MN
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Editors, Daily Planet:
I am continually sickened by the activities of organizations like CodePinko and MoveOn.org.
I don’t care if you hate Bush and loathe the Iraq situation, Capt. Lund has devoted his adult life to you and the United States and is willing to give his life for the misguided, sniveling liberals who defaced his facility. Were it not for our military, we would not have the freedom to criticize our government.
I am a veteran of the army. During my enlistment, I met, trained and worked with USMC Officers and Gunney Sgts. The Gunneys were a little scarey, but the officers were all top notch. My favorite uncle, a graduate of the Naval Academy, was buried on the bottom at Guadalcanal and had a DE named after him.
I don’t care if you hate our country, burn our flag or vote democratic; please show our men and women on the front lines of your defense a little respect.
To Captain Lund, I salute you, Sir. Semper Fi.
Richard Landers
formerly RA 15 660 011
Wooster, OH
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Editors, Daily Planet:
Wow, the Marines rock, and Code Pink kinda sucks big time.
Susanne Aspley
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Editors, Daily Planet:
As a typical American (that’s a citizen of U.S.A. for those of you who don’t like us using the name of the American continents to describe our country), I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks for the important work you and all our brave military personnel do for our freedom.
It often goes unsaid and is taken for granted, but Code Pink, and other “peace loving” organizations, only have the freedom to speak out against our country because that privilege is secured by our military forces.
Take a look at history and try to find one instance where peace was ever secured without military force—it has never happened. There will always be evil human beings who must be fought to secure peace for the masses and unfortunately innocent people will die in the process. People die, every one of us will, and to bravely risk your life to help secure peace and freedom of speech, without the courtesy of thanks from those who benefit most from it, is one of the most righteous ways a human being can live his or her life.
BWB
San Diego, CA
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Editors, Daily Planet:
My hat is off to the young Marine captain. His response was well taken and straightforward. Unlike the advocates of free speech that come in the night like a common criminal because they can't defend their indefensible point of view.
My hat is off to the Berkeley Daily Planet for printing his response.
Bill Santos
San Jose, CA
