Troll - What's the issue about borders? All the people of the world are a single nation. It is governments which do not recognize that...governments and bigots...who are really just ordinary people who are afraid of someone they see as being different from themselves. There are no aliens. We are all one humanity here on planet Earth.

As for bringing your American troops home? Yeah, I would mostly be in favour of that...but would you also be willing to bring home McDonalds, Exxon, WalMart, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Gulf, the Rand Corporation, Bank of America, and the other multinationals who are exploiting the whole world for their own gain? That would be a bit more to the point.

As for draft dodgers, if one honestly believes a war is unjust, then one should not go. Given the choice, I would rather move to Canada or France or somewhere, and live a normal, productive human life, and make a contribution to society, than rot in a US prison for 5 years, just to be a noble martyr for the cause. Matthew has made a huge contribution to society...he's one of the finest music teachers I've ever know. He would have been an idiot to stay in the USA and go to jail for his views.

Marlene Dietrich was not called a coward for opting to leave Germany when the Nazis took over, was she? She was praised for it. Likewise, I praise Matthew for having left the USA, instead of subjecting himself to the tender mercies of an uncomprehending legal system that is little better than a blind robot following the law of the moment.

The difference in our opinions is not based upon any evaluations of individual bravery or cowardice on the part of draft dodgers, it is based upon our differing view of the Vietnam war, that's all. I was completely against American involvement in that war, and I gather that you were not. It's as simple as that.

- LH