On Sept. 10, I stood outside the Franco-American Center in Lewiston to express my disbelief in the premise of Laura Bush’s talk: “W is for Women.”

I wanted to see her in person, but when I called for a ticket, I was asked to leave my Social Security number, which I did. I suppose that could have tipped them off that I wasn’t a Republican. So there was no room for me, but plenty of room for students from a private school, who, after the talk and apparently with their teachers’ blessing, entered the designated protesters’ area shouting “four more years.”

Sue Niederer did get in to a talk Laura Bush gave in New Jersey. Sue’s son, Army 1st Lt. Seth Dvorin, was killed in Iraq. When Sue had had enough of the happy talk about the progress of the war, she called out, “When are yours going to serve?” That’s about all Laura heard, because Sue was quickly drowned out by shouts of “four more years.” Sue Niederer was arrested for “defiant trespassing.” Not exactly the Gold Star mother treatment some might remember from earlier wars.

Maybe most of the voters in this country will decide to toss out an administration full of folks who like wars an awful lot as long as they and their kids don’t have to fight in them. Or maybe the doubts will get drowned out by shouts of “four more years.”

Renee Cote, Auburn

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