I'm happy to see that Michael McCullough has a major that will not propel him into journalism or any research-related field. His entire article ("People don't disagree with war to be trendy, they care about lives lost" SN 10/6) is a joke, based off www.moveon.org talking points. Go join Cindy Sheehan on her march to irrelevance and leave journalism to the ones who can actually find the facts.
The fact that you use the Downing Street Memo is nothing short of outrageous. And to say that its authenticity hasn't been challenged by either the British or American governments is flat out wrong. It was said to "appear to be authentic" by an anonymous "secret British official."
The White House flatly denies the authenticity, and this can be found on any Google search you use, McCullough, and quoted in many real newspapers such as The London Times and The Washington Post.
Speaking of The London Times, the reporter who broke the story, Michael Smith, admitted the memos aren't originals. He made copies and burned the originals to protect his source. Sound familiar? It should if you remember what ended Dan Rather's career; so I would tread lightly when using that to back up any conspiracy theories.
The Karl Rove story is dead. He did nothing wrong. They can't even prove that he did anything against the law even if he did leak the name. If he did, don't you think this administration is smart enough to cut bait with him? That was another useless point to conjure up.
With regard to your point on using our defense budget to find alternative energy sources, I have to commend you on your original idea there. You are one of the most misinformed people to ever have a featured column in a newspaper of this circulation. If you actually think that money would have in some way expedited the use of alternative fuel and its development, you are truly ignorant.
Do you know why we still spend money on oil and not renewable fuel? Because it is cheaper. Simple law of economics, my feeble-minded friend.
Do some research, some real research, before you put pen to paper and write this garbage.
Our government denies the authenticity of the Downing Street Memo. It was only verified by an unnamed "secret British official" in the U.K. They can't tell if Rove even broke a law. You can't honestly tell me or another critical thinker that Bush lied to get us into war. That would imply intent to deceive. We were acting on information from the French, Russians, British, Israel, United Nations and ourselves when we went into this war. At best it was a mistake, not a lie as you put it.
Matt Eckenrode
2004 graduate
