Your reporter, Paul Boring, did a good job of reporting Lt. Watada’s speaking engagement here, but your editorial assignment of the headline “Coupeville supports Watada” had no basis.

The subject of Lt. Watada has never been discussed in any town council meeting. No position, pro or con, regarding him has been stated by the town, and renting out the recreation hall for a broad spectrum of events does not constitute an endorsement for everyone who speaks there.

While many like to portray Coupeville as a tiny quaint village, the population is over 10 times greater than the 140 (or so) people who attended the speaking event. The attendees came from various parts of the island, and some came from the mainland. Coupeville residents were a minority of those in attendance, and thousands of people in the greater Coupeville area did not attend.

Attendance did not necessarily constitute endorsement. I attended to listen, to hear what a commissioned officer could say to justify abandoning his unit as they deploy into an area of hostilities. I know others attended for the same reason. Watada is an effective speaker, due in part to his Army training, and I suspect he will be a successful politician some day after he has served his sentence.

He gave a good dispassionate portrayal of the military justice process he is undergoing, but, from my viewpoint, he did not begin to justify the shirking of his responsibility to his military organization.

Vin Sherman

Coupeville