Your opinion editorial, "Fighting critics" (SN 12/05), is a very good hypocritical piece.

Midway through the edit, it states that soldiers deserve our respect but "not at the expense of silencing criticism." Criticism is what makes free speech, and it can be used to stir up a conversation like this about the military's recruiting efforts. By the end of the edit, the group Direct Action is bashed for criticizing when the edit says, "It's pretty unlikely the military is going to change its ways based on a local protest."

The truth is that by having that protest, people are talking about the military's recruiting efforts.

The National Priorities Project (NPP) released a study titled "Military Recruitment in FY2004." The study is based on Department of Defense data on Army, Navy, Air Force and Army Reserve enlistees in the 2004 fiscal year. NPP Executive Director Greg Speeter said that "As the Iraq War continues and the number of soldiers killed and wounded mounts, this data makes clear that low- and middle-income kids are paying the highest price."

It is a fact that the military spends more money on recruiting and focuses more time on areas with lower per capita income and higher unemployment.

Your opinion edit said, "Having aggressive recruiting techniques is a much better option than a draft." The military is taking advantage of people desperate for a way out, which is far more unfair than a draft.

Jared Wein
computer science sophomore