Talk to almost any anti-Iraq-war activist for long about their position, and you'll be sure to hear something like this: "I support the troops, but I don't support their mission" or "I support the troops, but that means bringing them home." Never mind that most soldiers queried say the best way to support them is to support their mission, it's at least a viable attempt by those opposed to the war to reconcile the fact that they don't support the war (or anything President Bush does in the Middle East for that matter) with the fact that they don't wish actual harm to come to the men and women in uniform serving our country. One can argue about the efficacy of such phrases and whether it emboldens the terrorists, but it's at least commendable for those who espouse such viewpoints to attempt to say that while they don't necessarily stand with America in Iraq, they certainly don't stand with the terrorists.
Then you have people such as Alex Kunhardt, a teacher in the Brooklyn school system, head of a sixth grade class at JHS 51 in Park Slope. His class recently wrote letters to one soldier in particular, Pfc. Rob Jacobs. One would think that letters from children to a soldier would be filled with things like wishes for a safe return. Not so from this class.
Included among the letters were accusations that Jacobs was "being forced to kill innocent people," "destroying holy places like mosques," predictions that "because Bush was re-elected, only 50 or 100 [soldiers] will survive," and challenges to "name one Iraqi terrorist because...I know I can't." Kunhardt then had the audacity to include a letter that told Pfc. Jacobs that "[the children] unanimously support the bravery and sacrifice of American soldiers around the world." He must have a strange definition of support if it includes accusation of war crimes and prediction of utter failure. Anything that could so demoralize a soldier during a time of war cannot possibly be considered support.
Kunhardt was silent when asked if he had read the letters or helped the children to write them in any way. While silence is not solid proof of guilt, one would think that Kunhardt would at least say something to clear his name if he were not in some way responsible. Jacobs himself, when asked to comment on the letters, said he thought that either the teacher or the children's parents must have coached them because "it boggles my mind that children could think this stuff."
Now for the real kicker: Jacobs is not even stationed in Iraq. He has served near the North Korean border for the last year, and his unit has not even been ordered to redeploy to Iraq.
The city's Department of Education has, thankfully, been quick to respond, sending Jacobs a private letter of apology. While this is good news, it is still sad that such an event had to happen. It is sad that people like Kunhardt, or anyone else involved, let their hatred for President Bush and the war in Iraq spill over to outright loathing of the men and women who serve our country. Anyone who would denigrate our servicemen and women in such ways should be ashamed. Our soldiers might be fighting for things like freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean one should use that right to hurt the people who protect it.
Write to time at Redbaron.strikesagain@gmail.com
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