between Mark Banfield (West Pikeland) and State Rep. Curt Schroder (R-PA 155), posted with permission of both writers:

6/13/08:

Representative Schroder,

I was dismayed to read that you will be presenting the “Chester County Victory Movement” with an American Flag tomorrow.

To clarify: I am acquainted with many in the The “Chester County Peace Movement”. I know of no individual member who does not support the United States Armed Forces and the troops associated with any branch serving anywhere in the world, most especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is the Iraq war itself that the group finds intolerable and has peacefully protested for the past five years. For the last six months the CCVM has provoked confrontation, drowned out peaceful songs with blasting motorcycle noise and threatened a supporting business with retaliation for supporting the peace effort. That is not patriotic, it is thinly veiled despotism cloaked in the flag.

I earnestly hope that your associating with the opposition does not indicate support for this misbegotten war and the deception, lies and shadowy militarism which has damaged our national reputation, destroyed our currency, bloated our national debt and totally reversed the universal good will and cooperation which followed the vicious attack on 9/11. The world was with us but no longer and 70% of the US population understands that our Iraq adventurism is a grievous error.

There is no “Victory” in Iraq. The US is simply standing between two warring domestic populations. Read the rest of this entry »