High school newspaper ‘ad should have been one of Thanksgiving'

To the editor: The irony involved in the controversy of the Bruderhof sophomore whose anti-military ad appeared in Warwick High School’s newspaper is a great civics lesson and illustrates the marvel of freedom in America. Here is a 16-year-old, whose experience in the world comes only from his religious community, with $450 in his pocket to run a series of anti-military ads. The adult spokesman of his community talks about the boy’s freedom and First Amendment rights. He did not talk about the war that historically delivered that freedom to voice opposition to government; he did not talk about the military that won religious freedom to allow the boy’s isolated and insulated religious group to prosper — and their many businesses, too — and to live tax-free in the larger Warwick community and attend Warwick’s public schools; he did not talk about the military that has maintained his many freedoms through sacrifice in many conflicts; he did not address that he is safe today because at various times in history those who served the country were not. Perhaps, most importantly, the nature of his ad showed no respect for individuals who believe in something different from him. More appropriately, his ad should have been one of Thanksgiving. Sincerely, Wendy Dembeck Warwick