Lonzie Cox – 3/26/06

This page was last updated on March 26, 2006.

Criticism is not disloyalty; Lonzie Cox, Jr.; Beaver County Times; March 26, 2006. I am not related to Mr. Cox.

Wow! We must be approaching a record of some kind. This is the second letter in a row in which race wasn’t an underlying theme. <g>

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“For me, the War on Iraq is at its worst right now.”

[RWC] The Iraq War stopped being a “war on Iraq” as soon as Saddam Hussein decided to run away and hide.

“President Bush and the other members of his regime of neocons have convinced many Americans that any sensible criticism of the war on Iraq is the same as disloyalty.”

[RWC] Mr. Cox and his fellow travelers hear what they want to hear. I’ve heard President Bush numerous times say criticism is a good thing. What he and many others say, however, is that how we express opposition is as important as the opposition itself. When opposition turns into propaganda for the enemy, you need to find a better way to express opposition.

Note the obligatory use of “neocons,” though I suspect Mr. Cox doesn’t know what it means.

“It’s not.

“Even worse, the people who fight this mindless war have been convinced that people who have the soldiers’ best interests at heart (protesters) are somehow lacking in understanding of what is happening in Iraq.

“I need not go to Iraq to realize that the whole endeavor is a risk of our troops’ lives and a waste of money that could have been better spent at home, even on military benefits and veterans’ affairs.”

[RWC] Whether he’s a veteran or not, I don’t believe Mr. Cox or the other protesters care one whit about our troops. I believe he’s like most other “bash President Bush at any cost” liberals. Despite referring to their mission as “mindless,” “a waste of money,” et cetera, liberals want us to believe “they support the troops.”

Here’s what fellow anti-war guy Joel Stein wrote in an L.A. Times column of January 24, 2006. “I DON’T SUPPORT our troops. … And being against the war and saying you support the troops is one of the wussiest positions the pacifists have ever taken — and they’re wussy by definition. It’s as if the one lesson they took away from Vietnam wasn’t to avoid foreign conflicts with no pressing national interest but to remember to throw a parade afterward.” While I obviously disagree with Mr. Stein’s position regarding troop support, at least he has the courage not hide behind a false claim of troop support.

“The letter to the editor from 1st Lt. Aaron Barr, serving in Iraq, represents the opinions of a lot of troops I’m sure. Barr is in a way asking people like me to shut up and let Bush and his blundering neocons run the war as they wish.”

[RWC] That is not what Mr. Barr’s letter said or implied. I can understand why Mr. Cox would want to believe that, though.

“The lieutenant voiced the oft-repeated statement that opposition to the war indicates a lack of support for the troops.

“That’s not true. No matter how many times it’s repeated, that’s not true.”

[RWC] When you oppose the war using Mr. Cox’s tactics, yes it is, no matter how many times Mr. Cox tries to convince himself it isn’t.

“And what is this mission the Bush regime wants to complete? They never say what the mission is.”

[RWC] Oh my gosh! How many times does the objective of the mission need to be repeated?

“Barr is just the kind of person we need in the services. He’s dedicated, brave and committed to his duty of protecting the country. What more can we ask?”

[RWC] Oops. Mr. Cox just figured out his letter is telling us who he really is and decided to pay a gratuitous compliment to Lt. Barr for cover.

“The citizens of the country, especially we veterans, have to protect the combat troops as well, in the only way we can - by expressing our opinions openly as the laws state we can.”

“If a protest can save one day of the war on Iraq and one soldier’s life, then it’s worth the effort.”

[RWC] I guess it doesn’t occur to Mr. Cox that his brand of opposition may encourage the enemy and result in the deaths of more soldiers. Of course, Mr. Cox may just not care as long as he can get in some good Bush bashing.