This Marine Thinks Dissent on War Is Healthy

By way of Christopher at After School Snack, Shakespeare's Sister calls our attention to a U.S. Marine's letter to the editor in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

What he's fighting for

As a U.S. Marine currently deployed to Iraq, I would like to respectfully disagree with a fellow Minnesotan who stated that people who protest the war hurt troops' morale ("Letters from readers," Aug. 26).

Public debate and discussion are vital to the health of a democracy. It is a good thing when I see Americans exercising their right of freedom of speech.

Seeing people exercise freedoms that many in other countries don't have is something that we all should be thankful for -- whether you agree with what is being said or not. Semper Fidelis!

James Haugerud,

Camp Blue Diamond,

Ar Ramadi, Iraq.

The headline Christopher wrote over the Marine's letter says it all: "Dissent Protects Democracy (Just Like Troops)."