Mark LaFlamme’s article on the anti-war protest on Longley Bridge disappointed me. The Sun Journal is a community newspaper. It should help us understand each other better through reporting on issues raised by different members of the community.

200 Lewiston and Auburn neighbors stood together to peacefully share a message with our community. But it was the 17 arrested for civil disobedience who got the major coverage. This placed the most attention on one part of the demonstration that wasn’t nearly as important as the overall community activity.

Together, we expressed to our fellow community members our fear about the horrors that the war in Iraq will bring. We fear for our local, national and international communities.

Why are our leaders ordering our family members and neighbors to fire at people who had not fired at us? Are we justified in killing thousands of civilians for an unprecedented preemptive strike?

These are questions that we asked our fellow community members to consider.

The drivers who flipped us off or informed us that we’re “”pansies”” or “losers”” made me think about what makes a true community member.

I’m sorry for some unfortunate results of this demonstration, but it’s tragic to see men and women who know something about the social, economic and humanitarian consequences of war so flippantly rejecting these consequences and the neighbors who pleaded to consider them.

I hope to see more demonstrations of community togetherness in the coming weeks. I hope to see the newspaper there, too.

Caitlin Cook, Lewiston

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