The Noblest of Causes

To the Editor:

Having read the letter written by Christopher Towne, and the espousing of his views, as a WWII veteran who served his country for four years, I must answer his fallacious arguments. Fourteen million of us were under arms at that time and we fought for freedoms we enjoy, like Chris Towne’s ability to express an unpopular opinion. Try doing that in an Iraqi paper, Chris. You can’t.

To blame the Israelis for our troubles as an old ploy of “blaming the Jews.” Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany’s troubles after World War I. Besides the fact that Israel is the only Democratic open society in the Middle East, during the Yon Kippur War, five Arab countries attacked Israel. Israel responded, pushed the Arabs back wherein they, the Arabs lost territory, and they’ve been crying and bellyaching for their lost territories ever since. You start a war, you lose a war, you take a chance in losing territories.

I agree with Mr Towne’s take on the Iraqi people not having a say in anything their government does. We do. We vote…remember? And we can voice opposition to our country’s policies as Mr Towne has, in our free press, through our elected representatives in the Congress, and to our president. Towne’s comparison between us and dictatorial entitles anywhere in the world, and in this instance the Middle East, is odious.

No war can be a “Holy War,” since people of God – whether Christian, Jewish, or Muslim – do not make war in the name of their faith. Terrorists in the Middle East are not attacking and hating America because we support Israel. As the Rev Franklin Graham (son of Rev Bill Graham) so aptly said on Fox News, terrorists did not attack us only because of our support of the State of Israel, but because America is a Christian country, our women are equals to our men, and they dress “improperly” by not covering themselves so that only their eyes show. For these various reasons the terrorists hate us, and we must distinguish between Muslims and terrorists. They are not the same. All right thinking Americans know this. To defend one’s country when it is attached is the noblest of causes and we will pursue this cause, until all the world is safe from these cowards.

Lastly, how can Mr Towne say that this Holy War has nothing to do with America. Where was he on September 11?

Thank you Heidi Brisson. And thank you Rita Frost for your beautiful tribute to the Twin Towers.

God Bless America and all free peoples of the world.

Frank J. Crisona

17 St. George Place, Sandy Hook September 24, 2001