Gordon Smith in New Jersey Herald, May 7, 2006

Editor:

A writer suggested minorities should be silent, maybe even invisible, in his letter to you published May 1, May Day. If minorities were effectively silenced that would indeed be "Mayday". I agree it is troubling to view street protest whether by French young people seeking continuation of their job security, Nepalese seeking restoration of their former parliamentary democracy, or immigrants seeking avenues to citizenship in this country where they may have worked, lived, and paid taxes for years.

Years ago when I demonstrated against invading Iraq (which we had been bombing since the end of the Gulf War) I wasn't saying I know better than all the other people not protesting so much as that this invasion would not be right in my judgement and that I didn't trust the judgement of those in government making this commitment of my tax dollars and the lives of my friends.

Protesters are part of the loyal opposition, and protest is one form of free speech protected by the Constitution. A few hundred thousand gathered in agreement can be an effective voice as with the protest march down Broadway in Manhattan on Saturday* urging that our forces be brought back home from Iraq. It is, after all, 3 years since our elected President declared that the mission was accomplished.

As loyal opposition in dialogue, and seeking to communicate the felt need to change the coarse of our National policy; we write letters, make phone calls, speak and listen. And yes, protest when we feel it is the patriotic thing to do.

Gordon Smith
Sparta