Sheehan Just Wants Answers

Jeffrey Novak suggests that Cindy Sheehan’s vigil near the president’s Crawford, Texas, ranch is misguided (Readers’ Forum, Aug. 21) because her son volunteered to serve in the military and accepted all of the sacrifices that come with that decision. But Sheehan’s protest is not about the decision of her son, but rather about the decision of the president. Novak’s military experience certainly qualifies him to speak about the motivations and dedications of those who choose to defend the nation, and all of us owe a debt of gratitude to those who do so. But at the heart of this conflict is a different issue. It is about a parent having to bury her child and wanting the comfort of knowing that her loss was somehow validated by a greater cause.

Lamonte John

Burke, VA