Cartoon maligned troops

I have never written a letter to the editor. However, the cartoon by Clay Bennett published in Thursday’s paper prompts me to break my silence.

The depiction of soldiers who oppose homosexuals serving openly in the military as toothless backwoods bigots is in itself a bigoted statement. These soldiers are putting their lives on the line every day, having limbs blown off, suffering injuries and trauma that often have lifelong effects, and you paint them as stupid and ignorant because they happen to oppose homosexuality. Words escape me to express how wrong that is.

I submit that if they are willing to die for our benefit, then they ought to be able to express their opinion about who they serve and die with. They are serving and dying for your right to express your opinion. Should they not have the same right to express theirs without being labeled as bigoted and ignorant? You owe all our armed forces an apology and should print a retraction for your ill-thought-out choice to print such a cartoon. Hopefully you can show more editorial common sense in the future.

Stan Martin

Bonners Ferry