Reading about war losses continues to cause us grief

Reading about war lossescontinues to cause us grief
EDITOR:
It grieves me to read and hear of the war casualties in Iraq as reported by the mass media every day.
Fortunately, we did not have this same mass media during World War II. I doubt that the war would have resulted in a glorious victory as it did.
To put this Iraq war in perspective, instead of the media reporting one, two, three or even 20 killed in a day, it would have been devastating reporting the dead and wounded in WWII.
There were more than 406,000 killed and more than 670,000 wounded from Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 1941, to the surrender of Japan on Sept. 2, 1945 -- 1,365 days of war.
Each and every blessed day, the mass media would have reported 297 killed today -- another 297 killed tomorrow -- another 297 the following day -- and on and on, for 1365 days. That's 8,910 a month and 106,920 a year.
The wounded figures would have been even greater: 490 a day, 14,700 a month, 176,400 a year.
In a war of that magnitude, every one of us would have been affected, whether it be a relative, friend or neighbor. There isn't a one of us who would have stomached reading and hearing of those casualties on a daily basis.
Surely, there would have been anti-war protesters in our country -- not thousands, but millions and millions of them.
One might say the cause was just. However, try telling that to the mothers, the fathers, the sons and daughters, the aunts and uncles of those poor soldiers who died in the deserts of North Africa, on the beaches of Normandy and Anzio and throughout the hedgerows of France and the bitter, bitter cold of the European theater for almost four years.
Try telling that to the next of kin of those poor souls who died in the jungles and the swamps and on the high seas of the Pacific Theater that the cause was just.
I am not trivializing the loss of any soldier today anymore than I trivialize those who gave the supreme sacrifices of yesteryear. A loss of life is always devastating and never to be trivialized, whether it be from war, an accident or of natural causes.
I hope and pray that this war will end soon. I hope and pray that we have the perseverance and resolve to see it through in a victory. Then finally, peace and stability will endure in the Middle East, and terrorism will be forever gone from our shores and the world.
PAT NICASTRO
A WWII veteran
Brookfield
Rank has its privileges, andit should be on vet marker
EDITOR:
My husband retired from the U.S. Army 20 years ago as a sergeant major. He had two tours in Vietnam and received a Purple Heart, along with other honors.
We bought a crypt at the mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery. We went to make out the paperwork to have the nameplate put on the crypt. They told us we could not put anything military on the nameplate, not even SGM in front of his name.
We have checked on other cemeteries with mausoleums. They honor their vets, and the nameplates are beautiful.
Shame on Calvary Cemetery. It does not matter if you were in WWI, WWII, Korea or Vietnam. You should have the honor to have at least your rank put on your marker. Every veteran who has served his or her country deserves that right. This is America, not North Korea, China or Russia.
I think Bishop Tobin and the Catholic Diocese should change their rules and policy, and start thinking of the people who have, and still are, supporting them, as my husband and I have for 50 years.
SHIRLEY CARDEN
Youngstown
Next time you buy a car,think about the steel tariffs
EDITOR:
I was heartened by a Dec. 10 Vindicator article that told of a new car to be produced by GM Lordstown ("As local plant gets ready, GM to debut Cobalt in LA").
As the Lordstown plant workers gear up to produce the Chevy Cobalt, plant management is planning to upgrade the facility, according to the Vindicator article. All of this is great news, and should include a thank-you to President Bush.
How's that, you ask?
By eliminating the controversial steel tariffs in early December, President Bush righted a serious wrong. Car producers such as GM will now be able to once again buy steel at more reasonable prices; the lower cost of the cars can then be passed on to the consumer.
Basically, Bush was playing politics by allowing the tariffs. It backfired, as consumers and steel-consuming industries questioned the protectionist methods. Why favor one industry over another? Why force consumers to pay more for products, just to support the woefully inefficient steel industry?
It's great for the entire region that GM Lordstown will soon be humming with the production of a new vehicle. That cars in general will now cost a little less is just icing on the cake.
JASON C. REEHER
Grove City, Pa.
Letter from murderershows his real nature
EDITOR:
The letter to the editor by Martin Koliser last Sunday shows how twisted this man really is.
He said his heart is not truly encased in stone, but he has no tears for his victim, Youngstown Police Officer Michael Hartzell, who was a righteous man.
Koliser doesn't care about anyone but himself and then makes excuses instead of showing true repentance.
He deserves death as a murderer and those who end his life are obeying God's command in the Bible that those who shed man's blood shall lose their lives at the hands of men (Genesis 9:6).
He is a hypocrite, a deceitful cop killer who deserves to dies. His words are a disgrace to justice and hurtful to the family of the honorable Mr. Hartzell.
Real people tell the truth and care more for the victim and his family than the evil, lying murderer who took his life.
May God have mercy on the soul of this killer, and may he experience true repentance and ask forgiveness from God and the family of this faithful policeman.
LEO FEHER
Youngstown
Europe OK, but not Canada?
EDITOR:
I just heard that they are trying to import the flu vaccine from Europe.
Now doesn't that make sense? We can't get drugs from Canada, but we can import flu vaccine from Europe.
It seems to me that the people in high places have all lost any good sense that they use to have. Politicians, lawyers, judges, etc.
EARL BAKER
Canfield