As as everyone worldwide as been doing the last several days, I too have been watching the war. I have been seeing the demonstrations against the war and those that are for the war. I respect those that voice their objections to the war. They have every right to. That is what freedom is about and certainly one of the things that the United States of America is based upon. The right of its' citizens to voice their opinions freely. Believe it or not, we need such people, because it is those people that keep all of us grounded into seeing all that needs to be seen.

For those that are against the war, keep voicing your objections, but do it in a peaceful way. Anything other than peaceful means only represents a hypocritical voice in your objections. We certainly have enough of that today.

For those that are for the war. Listen to those that are objecting to the war. You might just learn something from a humanity point of view.

But for both groups, I leave you with these two things. First, this question?

What if you had someone living next to you that was doing the following. This person had machines of torture and death. Machines that were literally human meat grinders and vats of acids where humans were placed in. And you heard the horrible cries of people coming from where this person lived. And anyone that disagreed with this person, this person would slowly put to death via these horrible evils.

Would you simply sit while you heard these cries and do nothing? How long would you listen to these cries before you finally did something to stop this evil? A few days, weeks, months or twelve years?

Saddam Hussein has such evil machines. He has murdered and killed his own people using these horrible machines and methods for over 30 years. He has killed his own people using chemicals, simply because they were a different sect of the Muslim faith.

Second, I leave you with this letter that I received. It is written from a soldier stationed in the middle east fighting in the war to his mother. His mother who is in California wrote him asking, "her son asking how he would feel if she joined other relatives of service members in an antiwar demonstration. After reading her son's response, she elected not to participate. The soldiers name and address is listed.

Please read his response to this mother very carefully, for it says it all of what freedom is truly about, no matter where you live, in what country you live. I do not think that I or any other journalist could have written anything better. This is a human being that is willing to give his life so that others can have freedom.

Dear Mom,
It's really your decision to march if you want to or not. You are the one who has to decide if what we are doing out here is right or not. My opinion is not yours.

I do, however, have things I would like for you and Grandma and everyone else at home to know.

I am a United States soldier. I was sworn to defend my country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. People may not agree with the things we are ordered to do. I would like to address those people by telling them that terrorism is not only a threat to us as Americans, but to many other innocent people in the world.

What type of country would we be if we didn't defend the rights and freedoms of others, not because they're Americans, but how about just because they're human?

We live in a country where people feel secure with their daily lives. They do business like usual and don't worry about the thought of terrorism actually happening to them.

The people of 9-11 thought the same thing. We now know that it can happen to anyone at any time.

Yet, as Americans we're afraid of losing our soldiers to defend our security. I can only speak for myself when I say that my life is an easy expense to ensure that my family and friends can live in peace.

I strongly believe in what we are doing and wish you were here to see for yourselves the honor and privilege that American soldiers aboard this ship are feeling, knowing that we are going to be a part of something so strong and so meaningful to the safety of our loved ones. Then you would know what this potential war is about.

We will stand tall in front of terrorism and defeat it. We as soldiers are not afraid of what may happen. We are only afraid of Americans not being able to understand why we are here.

I ask for your courage as Americans to be strong for us; I ask for your understanding in what we believe is right. I ask for your support in what we are sworn to do: defend our country and the life of all.

We will succeed in our task and will end the threat of terrorism in our back yard. We will also end the threat of terrorism in our neighbors'.

We have to remind ourselves of what this country stands for: life, liberty and justice for all. In order to maintain those rights we have to stop the threat of terrorism.

I am proud to be here. I will be coming home, but not until I know that it's going to be safe for all Americans and for everyone

I love.

My family is first. My country is where they live. I will defend it.

Lonnie J. Lewis
Navy corpsman
C Co. 1/4 WPN PLT
UIC 39726
FPO AP 966139726

P.S. Mom, please send this to everyone who has a hard time understanding why we are here. Ask the paper to put what I've said in a column so that others will know why we are here and what we are here for.

I love you all and will be home soon. I left my address so that if anyone feels like writing to let me know how they feel, they can.

Please take the time to drop Lonnie a letter, even if it just a postcard to let him know you feel as he does. This is what our servicemen need to hear from us. Also, please tell your friends, whether they approve of the war or not about this letter.

Lastly, I would like to address an issue that I feel needs to be addressed for the sake of humanity.

Any type of war has its' own evil. Do I totally approve of this war? No, because innocent civilians will surely lose their lives. But, when I look at the thousands that Hussein has murdered and most importantly, that by stopping him how, many other thousands of lives will be saved by removing him and his evil regime, there is the answer. If we, a people that spew freedom and humanity from our mouths, must be willing to defend that for those anywhere in the world that cannot. The ordinary citizens of Iraq cannot defend themselves, they are at the mercy of evil.

Any country that cannot see this evil and this truth, is in my opinion in bed with this evil, that includes France, Germany and Russia. Maybe we should start boycotting products from these countries?

As I watch all of the demonstrations in other middle eastern countries against the United States, I am deeply sadden for several reasons. It is said that the ordinary citizens in these countries are allowing themselves to be controlled by religious zealots of their faith instead of listening to that silent voice of God within that says Saddam is evil and must be dealt with. The citizens of these countries, please wake up. The citizens of America do not have any hatred towards you. America does not want to conquer you. If we wanted to do that, would we be freeing you from this evil? Would we be allowing you to chose your own destiny with freedom? Do not listen to these religious zealots that are afraid of losing their control over you.

What I find amazing about these people in these countries is the fact that many of them know of the evil of Saddam's regime, the tortures and murders. It is estimated that 1 out of every 1,000 people in the middle east has had a relative that has either been killed or tortured by Saddam. They loathe Saddam, many want him killed. But, yet and here is so confusing and I am asking this question to these people that are angry at the United States for freeing them from this evil, "How can you be so hypocritical? Your own Muslim faith teaches do know harm to your fellow man, yet you sat idly by for over 30 years seeing an evil do this very thing against your faith. Then when those that wish to free you from this evil takes the steps to liberate you, you then throw stones at them? Again, you are being controlled by religious zealots that are hypocritical and are using you for their own selfish reasons. To retain control over you, to have the power over you. Free yourself my fellow human beings from this religious oppression. Religious control whether it be from the Christian, Muslim or Islamic faith have caused every war in mankind's history. If you will simply search your soul and let God speak for once, he will tell you that is right, and violence and terrorism is not the answer. You are not living up to your faiths.

Now, it could be said that I have just been hypocritical in my faith by what I have just addressed. Just the opposite, I am not using my faith. What I have expressed and written about are facts. Saddamis a murderer, he is evil. And what I know to bot be right and Godly is to enslave and murder people, that is what Saddam has done for over 30 years. The light that is being performed now in Iraq is freeing people from evil. There is a huge difference.

I leave you with one last question? Is mankind going to for eternity stare at one another with hate and war, or will mankind finally become true the children of God? In whatever faith any one of us believe in, we finally must realize simply, that none of this is needed. It is simply not needed because if one, regardless of one's faith goes by the golden rule that is in all faith's, and that is, "do no harm to thy fellow man", then evil will not exist and the children of God can finally live in peace with one another. But it is you, each one of us that must take this step, even, sadly, if it means having to "kill" the evil that exists to rid it in this world. Man has created the evil, not God. This is not a war of God. It is a war of evil that man has created and has allowed to exist. It is far past the time for the evil to go away so that the children of God, all children of God, in whatever faith can live in harmony and peace with one another. Do not allow any religious zealot dictate to your soul what you should feel or do. Allow the spirit of God, and only the spirit of God tell you to love your fellow man, not hate him.

And to you the soldiers in the middle east. I've received all your emails and thank you for your kind words.You have my prayers and gratitude. You are doing what is needed to rid the world of one more evil, so that others can live in peace and freedom. You have my full support.

Make sure you read my previous column, Mankinds Eternal Struggle With War, Peace, Love and GOD

~ God Bless ~