Contrary to columnist, veterans serve all Americans
I read the article written by guest columnist Christine Flowers on Aug. 31 (“Tragedy in Afghanistan is a call to action”). As I was reading her column, I was wrapped in my sense of patriotism and reminded of the reason I initially joined the Army and eventually retired after 22 years of service on both active duty and active reserve. Unlike Ms. Flowers, I am a first-generation American and my family does not have a deep history of military service although my father did spend three years in the military when he first came to America. Unfortunately, her reference to the “woke naysayers” invalidated her entire article and defeated the point she was making. People serve in the military to allow the free speech of all Americans, even if she disagrees with them.
Moreover, what do “woke naysayers” have to do with Afghanistan? What relevance do they have with the meaning of our military force? One brief jab at the “woke naysayers” had no merit and nothing to do with the sacrifices all veterans make who have served our nation. I cannot speak for the “woke naysayers” but I can say that monuments praising enemies of our nation to include Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and other confederate heroes, and proudly displaying the flag of the Confederacy — a defeated enemy — is disrespectful to all the veterans of the United States who participated in the Civil War that she claims to embrace. Does she realize that Arlington National Cemetery has its roots in Union families burying their dead on Robert E. Lee’s family as a statement to this Confederate traitor? Also, to print this article in a Maine newspaper is a huge slap to the 20th Maine Infantry who fought so valiantly in the Civil War and was amongst the soldiers chosen to accept the surrender of the Confederacy.
Ms. Flowers is obviously a woman of privilege who has not embraced or learned some of the ugly truths that are also a part of our nation’s history. If Ms. Flowers really meant “may their deaths be avenged by our refusal to pay tribute to tyrants” she would learn a little more about that woke generation and practice what she preaches.
Ray Nagel,
Brunswick
GOP moves to restrict women’s, voters’ rights
By what measure can Republicans claim to stand for freedom? Draconian and illegal anti-women abortion laws in Texas, voting rights restrictions in many states and myriad other Republican-initiated restrictive legislation. Especially in Texas, this is a Nazi-style invasion of personal rights. This evil will spread thanks to three Trump appointees in the Supreme Court. The majority of American citizens are against these laws but that does not seem to matter. Freedom to restrict women’s and voter’s rights, but not guns. Freedom to infect others by not getting vaccinated and not wearing masks. I for one am massively frustrated by our dysfunctional system of government.
Bart Chapin,
Arrowsic
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