SHARP: Patriotic response to criticism

I will respond to John Schnider, local patriot. I appreciate your opinion, however you did not read my letter carefully. First I did not state in any way that I was inconvenienced by the celebration for Sergeant Sharp, you made that up. I stated that having a celebration on the highway was dangerous and it was.

That welcoming could have been held in many safer places; like the boulevard that goes to Cabela’s, conveniently located near and adjacent to Interstate 90, where people could have safely and more effectively given Sergeant Sharp his due without causing the uproar on the highway. That was my entire point; I regret Sergeant Sharp was harmed in Afghanistan and hope he recovers and enjoys the rest of his life.

Secondly, I will put my family’s military service up against yours any day — highly decorated father U.S. Army Air Corp, World War II; Full Colonel brother U.S. Army, Desert Storm, retired; and Captain U.S. Army nephew, retired. All of whom I am quite proud.

Being anti-war is a great deal different than anti-military. History tells us that all of the “undeclared” conflicts since and including Vietnam have been half baked political and financially motivated efforts with no declared or accomplished goals. They did a lot to weaken our position in the world while leaving many proud families on both sides to deal with the carnage.

Expressing views against needless war is not unpatriotic. It is the opposite.

JEFFERY COULTER

Local thinking patriot

Coeur d’Alene