Iraq

Last week, I, along with my Republican colleagues, voted against a resolution in the California State Assembly that undermines American troops serving overseas. The measure, Senate Bill 924, by Sen. Don Perata (D-Oakland), would place a referendum on the February ballot asking voters whether President Bush should immediately end the war in Iraq and begin withdrawing our forces. I urge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to veto this misguided bill when it comes across his desk. As a father of two children who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, one of whom is still serving as a fighter pilot, I look forward to the day the war is over.

Saving soldiers from dying in Iraq is pro-life I do not understand why Assemblyman Jim Silva — and most Republicans — keep saying that calls for troop withdrawals and bills like 924 are “a disservice to our troops and their families” (“Troops need voices of support; veto 924,” Sept. 13). I thought Republicans were the “pro-life” party? Wanting to bring the troops home from Iraq is a means to saving their lives, to let them live to serve another day!

Jenny Marder Memories of soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq scatter the sandy shore of Huntington City Beach every Sunday. Every Sunday morning before daybreak, three volunteers load up three Honda Civics and transport hundreds of homemade crosses to the Huntington Beach Pier where they are stuck in the sand in rows. The memorial is part of a quickly spreading campaign called the "Arlington West Project," started by the national group Veterans for Peace.

Writer buys into talking points In a letter to the editor on Saturday ("Let's not forget," Mailbag) Stella Klinger offers an addition to a Burbank Leader story regarding Cindy Sheehan ("Honoring a mother's son," Aug. 20). Klinger recites a number of Republican talking points regarding the subject. Unfortunately, most of them are wrong. The Bush administration attempts to dissuade criticism by branding all opposition as either hypocrites or traitors by their comments or their associations.

Lt. j.g. Laurie Zimmet credits her Chabad rabbi with teaching her "to think big and pray big." But after hearing her speak at Congregation Adat Israel on Thursday, I'm not convinced she needed the lesson. "Can't" is not a word you want to try on her. And while "maybe" is in her vocabulary, the word clearly doesn't mean to her what it means to most of us. Zimmet may say, "Maybe we could … " but she's thinking, "Where there's a will … " For all her big thoughts and prayers, though, what Zimmet has wanted most of all for as long as she can remember still eludes her. She talked about it Thursday night, and she's written about it, as well.

With war comes consequences and sacrifices. This we all know. And while the war in Iraq is taking place miles away from our shores, we are not immune from its effects here in Huntington Beach. First and foremost, our concern goes to those who have loved ones who may be lost in this battle. We have publicized some of the stories of those in our community who have left to fight in the armed forces. And we know there are many more whose stories we haven't told.

Mike Sciacca On a sunlit evening in Huntington Beach, the soft melody of "As Time Goes By" wafted through the summertime breeze along a row of busy shops in an outdoor business mall. Far away in another part of the world, this one torn apart by the ravages of war, the melodic sounds of Hawaiian music has brought comfort to troops confined to an indoor base devoid of much sunlight, where time seems to stand still. The bond that has united local groups of caring individuals with soldiers stationed in Iraq has been the ukulele.

T here is a 94-line statement about Memorial Day outside Huntington Beach City Hall that says more than any editorial the Independent could ever write. That is the city's war memorial, which displays the names of 94 Huntington Beach residents who died in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. The monument was dedicated May 26, 1997, and expanded later to include the Iraq casualties. It's doubtful those will be the last names ever added to it. When a major tragedy shakes American society — 9/11, the Challenger, Virginia Tech, Hurricane Katrina — there is always an acute period of mourning that lasts a few days or weeks.

The Independent went to Ralph E. Hawes Elementary School in Huntington Beach to ask students, 'What kind of difference could you make through writing?' "Writing letters to important people about stuff. It will help them decide what they are going to do, like the girl who wrote to Abraham Lincoln made him grow a beard or if you wrote to the president about not going to war." NATHAN SCHNEEKLUTH, 10 Huntington Beach "Like you can write a book about how to be a better person and someone might read it and do it. And they might tell a friend and everyone becomes a better person."

Four years into a war in Iraq waged by a professed Christian president who seems confidant he is doing God's bidding, it can be easy to miss how many Christians don't share his point of view. Tomorrow — to mark the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq — many of these Christians across the nation will take action to be heard. Among them will be members of St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach, which is hosting a "Christian Peace Witness for Iraq" vigil at 7 p.m. Friday.