Consider our troops before you pickett

After reading in the paper about the Cindy Sheehan supporters protesting in front of our courthouse, I had to reply.

I am the daughter of a man who spent 28 years in the U.S. Air Force, served in World War II, Korea and two tours of Vietnam before he retired in 1969. Although I can sympathize with Cindy as to the loss of her son, her actions and the people joining with her anti-war protest outside the Bush ranch is inconceivable to me.

Last time I checked, joining the military was not required, but voluntary. Our military are trained for war if one should occur. They do not take polls to see who would like to go and who wouldn't. The military is a very close group of people; these guys would give their lives for each other and for you and me. Think about that. How many of us would do that for each other? They deserve the utmost respect and honor from everyone of us. Carrying signs around protesting what these men an women are trained and willing to do is of ultimate disrespect.

I'm sure Cindy think what she is doing is honorable, but I bet her son would disagree.

These men and women do not want pity parties held in their honor while they are away fighting a war on terror.

Whether you agree or disagree we must always support our military. We live in the freest country in the world and that freedom wasn't free. Thousands of men and women paid the ultimate price. I'm just thankful everyday that we have a military that is willing to do whatever it takes to preserve our freedom.

So before you go out for your next anti-war protest or President Bush-talk-to-Cindy signs, think about what you're doing, why you're doing it and how is it going to affect our men and women in uniform.

LAURA DELAND

Sandpoint