This is in response to Cheryl Stilwell and others who have commented on Patricia Brooks’ fast.

I am one of the peace activists displaying signs on the corner in Coupeville and from the responses we receive I do believe our message is having an effect. We do have the freedom to demonstrate and express our opinions in spite of, not because of, the present administration’s abysmal failure. Our constitution gives us this privilege — not the bloated military power and might we are using around the world.

Ironically the Sunday Seattle Times had a front page article saying, in effect, that the Iraq war has worsened the terror threat — this by U.S. intelligence agencies — which found that, “..the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.”

Ms. Stilwell also comments on the fact that “Saddam Hussein did not have that much to do with Al Qaeda but that he was torturing and committing mass genocide.” I would respectfully point out that our invasion of Iraq was an act of terror in itself, and that we are guilty of torture and murder — is it OK for us to commit these heinous crimes, but not the other side?

I would also pose this question: If our country was invaded by a foreign force, would we be acting any differently than the “freedom fighters” in Afghanistan and Iraq? When I listen to Canadian or BBC news, the consensus seems to be that it will be decades before there is any resolution of the present conflict — if ever.

My reason for “standing for peace” is that war is not, nor ever will be, the answer to conflict. This is the way of peace: overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth — and hatred with love.

Peggy Burton

Coupeville