Daniel Fouliard on Jan 28, 2008 at 01:06 PM:

As an Aldermanic Candidate it is thrilling to see students mobilize -- and thrilling to see students communicate opposing points of view. It is by communicating opposing view points that we are able to learn about the issues more fully and also learn about our own way of thinking. I am glad to have people disagree with me. It is always nice to get another point of view. We should all be cautious of drawing lines and or locking up our minds-- flexible structures are actually stronger than rigid structures. Deep down we all want to be safe and have our needs met-- so keep that in mind when standing on opposing sides of a "line". Daniel Fouliard

Daniel GInsberg-Jaeckle on Jan 29, 2008 at 02:13 PM:

Look AJ, if you're concerned about a few speakers and a couple days of fliering...well, you've only seen the beginning.

We protested, side-by-side with military veterans, because 1 IN 3 WOMEN IN THE MILITARY ARE RAPED. There's a lot of disturbing business with military recruitment, and we're going to continue to push for change because we have compassion for the people risking their lives in the military.

Please do step it up a notch! Nothing recruits quicker for our side than a handful of privileged white kids campaigning for hate and greed.

Nathan Johnson on Jan 29, 2008 at 04:16 PM:

72% of US soldiers are in favor of immediate withdrawal. http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Poll72_percentoftroopswant_0228.html

Support the troops- BRING THEM HOME!

Nathan Johnson on Jan 29, 2008 at 04:16 PM:

72% of US soldiers are in favor of immediate withdrawal. http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Poll72_percentoftroopswant_0228.html

Support the troops- BRING THEM HOME!

Nathan Johnson on Jan 29, 2008 at 04:16 PM:

72% of US soldiers are in favor of immediate withdrawal. http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Poll72_percentoftroopswant_0228.html

Support the troops- BRING THEM HOME!

Anonymous on Jan 29, 2008 at 06:15 PM:

blah... blah... blah... BLAH...

of course 100% of soldiers want to come home. Duh? You think they LIKE being away from family and friends. Write this down because here's the inside scoop: They VOLUNTEERED to be in the military. There is ALWAYS an outside chance a war will happen. Time to wake up out of dream land Nathan and enter what us regular joes like to call "the real world".

Daniel: Yeah, because John Kerry, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and every other democratic senator that isn't Barak Obama ISN'T a privileged white kid. You do, of course, understand that you HAVE to be rich in order to be a democrat. How would they afford all the taxes that are suggested on the far left if they WEREN'T rich?

So you can bitch and whine all you want you sad sack, anti american, pains-in-my-ass, but all you are doing is reminding the entire nation of the fact that "Oh yeah, college students are COMPLETELY moronic!"

Aaron Jeske on Jan 29, 2008 at 09:20 PM:

I wish i was a "privileged white kid". I'm so privileged to be right in the center of not being able to pay for college but not getting enough financial aid to pay for it. In fact most if not all of our organization are privileged in no way. Unless if by privileged you mean actually working for our own well being.

But Seriously, no one actually belives the BS you are spewing. 1 in 3 women are raped? WTF kind of statistic is that. Where did you get it from? I assume it so easy to find by the way you capitalize it, but alas it is nowhere easy to find. The only thing close to your claim is a CBS report from 2 years ago about sexual predation by recruiters, in which 100 was the number obviously not all rapes but mostly minor sexual misconduct charges. Doesn't look like 1 in 3 to me.

You have "compassion for the people risking their lives in the military" but you are accusing them of being some evil women raping force? Why are you protesting the local branch of recruiters? Have they been accused of rape? NO! Yet you target them because they are the easiest to get to. How about to do everyone a favor and leave town to go protest where the problems actually are.

By the way Mr. Johnson try using a link that isn't broken next time so we actually see what you have to say

James Lazar on Jan 29, 2008 at 10:52 PM:

"1 in 3 women are raped? WTF kind of statistic is that. Where did you get it from?"

A 2003 survey of female veterans from Vietnam through the first Gulf War found that 30 percent said they were raped in the military. A 2004 study of veterans from Vietnam and all the wars since, who were seeking help for post-traumatic stress disorder, found that 71 percent of the women said they were sexually assaulted or raped while in the military. And in a third study, conducted in 1992-93 with female veterans of the Gulf War and earlier wars, 90 percent said they had been sexually harassed in the military, which means anything from being pressured for sex to being relentlessly teased and stared at. -http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/07/women_in_military/index1.html

There's one example that took me all of 10 seconds to find.

Aaron Jeske on Jan 30, 2008 at 12:36 AM:

I looked through that article and found no links or any sort of reference to the surveys you mentioned above. Who conducted these surveys? What population was used? What methods were used in collecting the survey? How about the margin of error?

I don't trust surveys such as these in the least, the questions could be framed, terms can be poorly defined, people can lie. As the anonymous post stated above, just because 72% of soldiers want to go home does not mean they don't support the war. You said that 30% were raped in the military, but is there any indication that all were raped by fellow soldiers. And we all know from the Duke case that it is possible for rape "victims" to falsely accuse people.

But back the the actual subject of the letter above. Does protesting these soldiers, who have not been accused of anything, accomplish anything but more hate and resentment for the people who protect your very right to protest them. Does even attacking the institution of the military make sense? If anything you should be knocking on the door of those who have been convicted of the sexual crimes.

James Lazar on Jan 30, 2008 at 08:25 AM:

"Does protesting these soldiers"

Nobody was protesting soldiers. In case you weren't aware, there were numerous veterans involved in the protest.

Daniel GInsberg-Jaeckle on Jan 30, 2008 at 08:32 AM:

I'm not sure if you're trying to manipulate the reasons we were actually demonstrating in front of military recruitment on campus or if you're just an ignoramus. The reasons go way beyond women in the military, but here nonetheless is an interesting column written in the NYTimes about women in the military...

"In the war-front Central Command of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, there have been at least 112 reports of rape and other sexual abuse in just the past 18 months. The problem may be far worse. Confidential surveys have found that up to 30 percent of women veterans reported being victimized in sexual assaults while in the military. Three out of four said they had not dared to report being assaulted because of concerns about privacy and career advancement."

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E1DC103EF931A25750C0A9629C8B63

Daniel on Jan 30, 2008 at 08:38 AM:

Again, though, I don't want to discourage you all from counter protesting and providing useful information to your peers about why it's a great idea to join the military and support recruitment on campus.

george costanza on Jan 30, 2008 at 12:50 PM:

summer of george!

Aaron Jeske on Jan 30, 2008 at 01:42 PM:

"We protested, side-by-side with military veterans, because 1 IN 3 WOMEN IN THE MILITARY ARE RAPED."

Now you are saying the reasons go beyond this? So what was it you were protesting? Were you protesting sexual assault in the military or the war on terror in general? I hope it wasn't both, because saying the war is wrong because the military supposedly rapes it's own women is a very obscure standpoint. After all this war is not only for our security but the benefit of the Iraq people, whom many of you seem to forget when you think of ending the war before it is won.

And again, those surveys mean nothing to me if I don't know how and with whom they were conducted. The reports I can believe, but you have to be careful of what they say. 112 reports of rape and sexual abuse can translate into 1 rape and 111 cases of sexual harassment. I am in no way saying sexual harassment is a minor problem, but it's a far cry from rape or sexual assault

As for veterans, the background of a protester does not matter, just the message they put forth. Just because you have a few veterans on your side does not mean your cause is just. You can find all sorts of people who sit on the opposite side of the fence on a particular issue, even though common perception places them elsewhere. Christians for abortion, Arabs for Israel, Hispanics against Illegal immigration.

If you mind me asking (and if you actually know) what military action did these vets take part in?

Jonas Rioner on Jan 30, 2008 at 07:17 PM:

This has to be the most pointless, childish, misguided use of bandwidth I've ever seen on the whole of the internet.

Anonymous on Jan 31, 2008 at 05:47 AM:

Jonas, You write for the daily rader. You shouldn't even be allowed to speak in public, let alone comment on an editorial.

lol... on Jan 31, 2008 at 06:21 AM:

"This has to be the most pointless, childish, misguided use of bandwidth I've ever seen on the whole of the internet."

Way to go Jonas, you just contributed. way to fight the power.

Allyson Wartick on Jan 31, 2008 at 06:40 AM:

You know, having been in the military, and having known may women in the military, and still keeping in close touch with the women that I went through training with, and being a woman myself, I really just don't know how to respond to this.

Having been in the military I have to say I never felt that kind of threat, the thought never even crossed my mind. I have never felt safer than when I was on a base, and I am much more concerned for my safety out in the civilian sector than I ever was in the military.

I'm disgusted that the leftist faction on campus deems it relevant to protest what they believe to be true about the rape of women in the military to recruiters. They didn't show up to protest recruitment practices, they showed up to protest rape. That's like showing up to a baseball game and protesting abortion. The two have nothing in common.

The numbers that refer to one and three women... I would challenge that source as someone with an agenda. You can be very selective as to how to poll people, and I know that the lefties are convinced that the government is out to get us and they pay pollsters like Gallup to spew propaganda, but the thing is that sources that major news corps. use are used because they are accredited sources. They don't cite crap like this, because no one can back it up.

I know and worked with hundreds of women during my short time in service, and not one of them made that claim. I recently asked as many of my active duty friends as possible if they had heard anything like that from any of their girlfriends, and they said no, and were just as appalled as I was that this claim was made.

It's a deliberate attempt to smear the military based on false information, and was not even a relevant argument. Just because you put the word "military" before rape does not mean that it instantaneously involves everyone in the military, ESPECIALLY the recruiters. I'm not saying that there aren't people who shouldn't be in the military, but most of the time they are weeded out by the good ones and self-destruct.

I challenge you to find any perfectly run organization on earth. It's not going to happen. Companies have sexual harassment and discriminatory policies for a reason. What is that reason? Bad stuff can happen no matter where it is. I am not condoning rape, I'm not turning a blind eye to the fact that it probably does exist in some places, but instead of being so hateful, try to think a bit more broadly and look at things on a global scale. Rape happens everywhere. It doesn't make it acceptable, and it's something I think most people would agree upon should not happen, but we don't live in a perfect world, and never will.

Now, this being said, why wouldn't these individuals protest rape elsewhere if it is so important to them? Why not go protest other places where rape may occur? I don't see any frat house rallies with signs going on on campus, why the double standard?

If the reason for protesting these recruiters was really rape, and not a sick political statement aimed at antagonizing members of our armed forces who were doing their professional duties, then why aren't these students protesting rape anywhere else on campus?

Southpaw on Jan 31, 2008 at 10:37 AM:

You may think it is misguided, but these leftists are not against the war because they are so full of hate. I think that you should acknowledge that people can support the troops and be against the war. Who cares what their job is, troops are just kids. And who supports kids by letting them get shot up or lose their legs?

And here's the thing, when the war is over, the Conservatives are going to cut Vet benefits like a motherfucker and it's going to be these damn leftys who are the only ones who even care about vets. Because they are the only ones who care about people.

Bush, Rumsfeld, etc. think that our soldiers are fodder. Certainly you heard Rumsfeld's shit about why we couldn't have armored humvees for so long. Give me a break.

Just read the UWM supports you! facebook page and see who is driven by hate - how about the guy who says we should nuke everybody.

Is this also the opinion of Ms. Wartick and Mr. Piwarun, who started the page?

AJ Piwarun on Jan 31, 2008 at 11:09 AM:

Jonas, first off, I don't think this is a waste of bandwidth. I'm simply expressing my concern about certain groups not supporting the troops. You can be against the war all you want- it's your right. You can't, however, advocate for a defenseless America by restricting where and when the military can recruit. Something to keep in mind is that UW-Milwaukee is a public university, funded by public money.

Southpaw, that is not the stance of the creators of the group. Tempers flare when debating politics, and I'm sure that's not what the poster meant to say. We've all said things out of frusteration.

Allyson Wartick on Jan 31, 2008 at 11:34 AM:

Southpaw; nice to know who I'm actually talking to, right?

I don't understand why people can't post as themselves, perhaps it's because they're hiding behind anonymity? Way to prove that you as a person actual believe in something as an individual and are not afraid to put your name behind it.

In reference to the facebook group, that board is completely uncensored. It's my group, I believe in free speech, and I'll let pretty much let whoever say whatever they want. For every crazy on the right, there are just as many if not more on the left. I've never understood why the leftists can't understand that.

We're really the same people, our beliefs are just completely opposite. We believe that we're working to preserve our country, and so do you, but when we do it, we're wrong, and when we tell you we think you're wrong, we're labeled as racist, sexist, homophobic, male-dominant, and "ignoramus" as Daniel so politely put it.

So, if you can predict the future with such certainty that you know that vet benefits are going to be cut without a doubt, perhaps you should pursue a career with US intelligence. that certainty could have saved us from something like 9-11!

I'm sure you were certain that was going to happen too, right? That once Bush gets into office, I swear to God, they're gonna attack the WTC, Pentagon, and make attempts on the capitol!

You don't know the future better than anyone else does. Nothing is ever certain in this world if you haven't figured that out yet, and no one can make speculations like that.

Perhaps you should talk to my parents about how they felt when I joined the military, or maybe my relatives? Maybe my best friends, the people who care about me? Maybe you should ask them how they felt when I joined the military. Ask my friends how they feel about being in. Ask Charlotte, one of my close friends. Her husband was blown up by an IED on Easter this past spring. Perhaps you should ask me how I feel about double digits of my friends being in Iraq right now, my closest one is deploying in May as a Security Forces Airman. She will be putting her ass on the line for you, and she couldn't be more excited to go.

Funny thing is, she's not alone. For all these little veterans and singled out members that you like to exploit and patronize for speaking out against the war, I can tell you from personal experience that flight after flight of Airmen are currently graduating every Friday morning at 8 AM on Lackland, and there are countless numbers of Airmen alone who are ready, willing, excited, and looking to deploy. I know I was, I know all my best friends were, and I know a lot of my acquaintences were as well.

Now you'll probably tell me I'm an ignorant war-monger and clearly I have an agenda of hate, blah blah blah... No, I'm not a war monger, I wish we weren't at war, but I signed up to defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, and I would have done that job to the best of my ability had some things worked out differently in the end.

I get it, I mean it doesn't mesh with your agenda, it doesn't fall in line with how you're trying to convince the world that the conservatives are evil because I'm presenting a legitimate opposing viewpoint, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were no place within the doctrine of tolerance for women like me.

You seem to forget here that as much as you want to patronize your token veteran who represents at small faction of troops who come back from Iraq, we have three college conservatives who are ROTC, current active duty, and veteran. One of whom has been to Iraq, and still supports the war.

I seem to remember another veteran who came back from a war and did nothing but blast it, and that was Senator Kerry. The returning troops from Vietnam were insulted, spat on, and treated as degenerates for doing the same thing our men and women in the military have continued to do until today, and that is clearly defined in the oath of enlistment that every single one of them takes.

"I (state your full name) do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Is supporting the war anywhere in there? No. Is supporting the president anywhere in there? No. I'm not saying that I can't understand that people disagree with the war. I do. I will also tell you that yes, there are people in the military who don't like Bush, and who don't like the war. Does that make them any less of a member of the armed forces? No. We have the right to dissenting opinions from each other and I would never advocate impeding that right.

The Facebook group is for those who support the troops, not necessarily the war. If people want to talk on the wall, I don't care. they don't all represent the group, because there are members with varying opinions, and I think it's healthy for people to talk things out. Just because one member believes we should wipe out the middle east by nuking them does not mean that I subscribe to that ideology.

The group was not even started by AJ, so don't try to take a cheap shot and drag him into this. I was encouraged by a lot of people to start a group so we could have dedicated people who want to go out and counter protest those who would use recruitment as a vehicle to exploit the rape of women in the military.

The recruiters that I worked with were respectful, fun, and have been two of the best NCO's I've ever known.

Go figure, a woman said that. I am saying as a woman that my recruiters were NEVER predatory, unprofessional, or out of line with their professional obligations to the United States Air Force to recruit. I have never met a recruiter who would, and I've been in contact with quite a few.

I'm going to wait for someone to say that clearly I've been brainwashed, or that I'm not really a woman, because as we all know, the conservative movement has no women, they're all just privileged white men.

I should probably mention I'm not writing this in my kitchen...

Faja Klaus on Jan 31, 2008 at 02:44 PM:

This whole debate is pointless. The letter sounds like a threat, to be frank, which I'm sorry to say is consistent with the conservative voice that is running rampant. Ms. Wartick, I'm glad you never felt a threat, but there are women in the armed forces who have felt a lot more than that, so just because it didn't happen to you doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. It takes a lot of ego to be able to kill people in the name of God and country, and your assertion that mentioning rape is little more than a liberal trump card is close minded and very stupid. Conservatives have been milking 9/11 for all it's worth since it's happened, so don't throw stones in glass houses, okay? To the conservative element on this campus, you make it sound like we are at war, and it's foolish. Frankly the problem with both liberals and conservatives is that both are so set on their own ways that they are incapable of compromise, as is exemplified by this thread. Yes it is possible to be against the war and support the troops, but instead of bitching about it, let's hear some fucking ideas already. King George II is ruining this country and he got us into this war on false pretenses, and so of course a lot of people are against it, because the war is bullshit. There is a big difference between hating a situation and hating the people who are in it. Both ends of the spectrum, liberals and conservatives, need to stop acting like we're in a fucking war and work on doing something about it, it's people like this who are so stuck in their own ways who are fucking up this country. As for the little threat about there being opposition, to echo our beloved king, I'd like to say: Bring it on.

Southpaw on Feb 01, 2008 at 11:24 AM:

Allyson, Despite extensive research, scholars and historians have been unable to produce even one documented case of a returning Vietnam vet being spit on.

The most recent studies indicate that over 1 million Iraqis have died since the U.S. invaded and occupied their country.

During the Vietnam War, between 3 and 6 million Vietnamese were killed.

We are an imperial power, and we commit mass murder. We use napalm to burn children alive. We use depleted uranium to turn entire cities radioactive (often without telling our own troops on the ground).

Allyson Wartick on Feb 01, 2008 at 12:52 PM:

"We are an imperial power, and we commit mass murder. We use napalm to burn children alive."

Okay, so if that's your grounds for protesting now, the new and improved third reason for protesting recruiters, other than rape and the war, why don’t you join me in protesting the completely legal "medical procedure" in the United States that kills 1.5 million American children every year by methods that include to but are not limited to: methotrexate injection (which burns the child alive), dismemberment, and partial-birth murder? (http://www.abortioninfo.net/facts/whatis2.shtml)

You all seem to like to point fingers elsewhere, that we're an imperial power, that we're "privileged white kids" that have never been to the slums in Mexico and Venezuela, that we don't pay attention to the speculated 1 million deaths that have occurred in Iraq since we got there a few short years ago...

I prefer to focus on America; working to fight homelessness in our slums and ghettos here, working to educate the illiterate so we can improve our society, and ending the mass infanticide that has been going on since 1973.

This violation of human rights has been going on for 35 years now, has claimed the lives of more than 51 MILLION Americans, at a rate of 1.5 million babies aborted PER YEAR.

It's not that I don't care about the people in Iraq, or the couple million that died as a result of BOTH the Vietnamese and American forces fighting in Vietnam, or that I don't think it's upsetting that we've lost 4,000 troops in this conflict thus far, but it is upsetting when people mourn the death of our enemies above the murder of our innocents and the American future.

Joshua McCracken on Feb 01, 2008 at 09:35 PM:

Actually, it looks like that is exactly how you feel: you don't care about anyone but America. Allow me to remind you that of all of the Iraqis who have died since our invasion, 60% of them have been civilians who had nothing to do with the fighting. Allow me to also remind you that we made clear our intentions in March 2001, when we launched a strike against Baghdad that killed more Iraqi civilians than 9/11 killed American civilians. That, according to our own definition, is a terrorist attack, yet we are willing to gloss over it so that we can keep feeling high and mighty. To put it very simply, I pray that you are never in a position of power. It is all well and good to be concerned with the welfare of your own, however that should have been taken into consideration before we launched an invasion against a country which posed no threat to us, because our own are suffering as a result of that idiotic move. There is an old story about a tall tree and a short tree which stood side by side, and when the taller tree was struck by lightning the shorter one quickly began to die, but took a very long time to do so. The moral is clear, what affects one affects the other. Our idiocy, our lack of concern for others and our narcissistic bullshit complexes have led to the deaths of millions of innocent people on both sides, so I say fuck your lack of concern. You want to talk about the 1.5 million aborted babies that are lost every year, and you are forgetting that a fetus is not a life. Third trimester abortion is illegal, most of the vital organs are not formed until well within the second trimester, it's not a baby. Deal with it. The people who have died were people, who have actually lived their lives and known what they would be missing out on. Until you show me incontrovertible proof that an aborted fetus is aware of every single thing that happens to it prior to the procedure, the people that our country has MURDERED will be much more important. So sorry to disappoint you, but this country is a world power, and we have a job to do, and it sure as hell isn't detracting from the importance of the lives of others just because they live in another country so that we can focus on some bullshit 'genocide' on beings that are not even three months into existence of any form. Get over yourself.

so this one's for allyson on Feb 02, 2008 at 10:28 AM:

"I pray that you are never in a position of power."

Well, at least you pray.

"fuck your lack of concern"

I think she's proven that she's very concerned, especially with the fact that she's given a good counterpoint to every point you've come up with.

Ms. Wartick has held the high ground, she has remained classy with structured arguments and valid points, and has not resorted to name calling, swearing, and personal attacks that joshua has so politely put forth in this latest attempt to make her out to be a terrible person. I know her well and I must say that she's a very concerned individual who truly cares about those who are around her, and is constantly working to make the lives of those around her better.

You couldn't be more wrong that she needs to get over herself, because she's not on herself in the first place.

AJ Piwarun on Feb 02, 2008 at 02:00 PM:

I thought Post reporters weren't supposed to comment on editorials, let alone resort to profanity and personal attacks.

Joshua McCracken on Feb 02, 2008 at 07:38 PM:

I was unaware of this policy (in fact many Post staff members comment on editorials), and I do apologize for the profanity. However, I do stand by the ideas posted in this. You are right, the profanity and the cruel words were uncalled for. I am saddened by the fact that this person said that the abortion issue was more important than people dying overseas. I completely disagree. Human waste of all kinds has bacteria and other smaller forms of life all over it, and during the first few months a fetus is essentially a clump of cells that has the potential to become human life (sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn't). To say that something that could be a person is more important than real people just because they are not American (and this is what I gleaned from the letter posted), is completely ridiculous and horrible. Again, the personal attacks and profanity are uncalled for, and I do apologize for them, but that is all that I apologize for.

Adolf Hitler on Feb 02, 2008 at 07:42 PM:

You leftist pinkos make me sick. Thankfully ze Conservatives at UWM are setting you straight. Mr. Piwarun, feel free to call on me if you are requiring FreiKorps assistance.

Jonas Rioner on Feb 02, 2008 at 08:06 PM:

"You can't, however, advocate for a defenseless America by restricting where and when the military can recruit."

I don't recall ever saying I supporting that position. If it were up to me, everyone would have to spend a stint in the military; even people like you.

"Jonas, You write for the daily rader. You shouldn't even be allowed to speak in public, let alone comment on an editorial."

Judging from your inability to spell 'raider' correctly, you're the one who shouldn't be able to speak in public... (lest you be hunted down by a mob of angry villagers armed with torches)

Isral DeBruin on Feb 03, 2008 at 10:57 AM:

Web comments are a relatively new feature for the Post, one that was introduced this fall with the redesign of our Web site.

It has thus far been a sort of unspoken rule that Post staff and contributors refrain from posting comments on stories, however I believe the Editorial section may be the exception to this rule.

Since Web comments are almost inherently subjective, a reporter (who is supposed to be inherently objective) has no place posting comments on an objective news story. Editorials, though, are also inherently subjective. Therefore, it makes sense to me that the reporters be allowed to join the dialog surrounding their opinions.

As a point of information: Post editorial writers are not allowed to write news stories, and vice/versa.

As I implied above, this is my personal opinion as editor in chief and does not reflect the official stance of the Post. Thanks to this thread of comments, the issue has been brought to my attention and I will be adding it to the agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the UWM Post Board of Directors.

Now, the personal attacks and foul language is another story... this is obviously unprofessional and unbecoming of a journalist of any level and will be addressed.

Thank you all for your diverse comments. I am glad to see that this Web site can be a platform for public discourse and community dialog.

Jimmy Lemke on Feb 03, 2008 at 12:40 PM:

I'm not really going to get into this. I just want to let everyone know how happy I am to see that people actually read the Post. Do me a favor and read the sports section too, folks! Far less stressful...I think I counted 10 popped blood vessels in the comments on this page.