Lance Corporal Ferguson and his family are clearly in an unenvious, stressful situation, to say the least (letters, Dec. 17). However, it is not fair for them to accuse those who speak in favor of constitutional protections with not caring about defending the country or "not supporting" our troops.

I am sick and tired of hearing anyone who disagrees with the war in Iraq being labeled as unpatriotic or anti-service. Yes, I think the war is fraudulent, mismanaged and counterproductive. Yes, I'd like to ask the corporal if he's found the "weapons of mass destruction" his commanders used to justify his deployment. And yes, I want to support the troops.

It's just that to me, and a lot of people like me, "supporting the troops" means more than tying yellow ribbons, waving the flag and not thinking critically about what the government says. To us, "support" means providing a northern front through Turkey, a meaningful coalition of allies to help the corporal operate more safely, a justification for fighting that isn't laughed off by the rest of the world, a functioning system of VA hospitals to care for them when they're hurt, and an exit strategy that brings them back to where law enforcement is still handled by civilian police—and never the Marines.

William Lorton

Los Angeles

(William Lorton is a 1988 graduate of Saratoga High School.)

Media allows only
liberal viewpoints

I wish to express my utmost appreciation to Corporal Tom Ferguson, his father Bill Ferguson and Martin Kavanagh (letters, Dec. 17). Having many of my conservative letters to the paper rejected over the years, it was like a breath of fresh air to read their letters and partially believe that logic, cultural facts and anti-leftist propaganda is not always an anathema to the liberal Saratoga News.

As a conservative who detested Gov. Davis' political mismanagement, but who believed in the democratic process, I was only one of many who opposed his recall. That opposition changed about a week before the recall date, when The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the San Jose Mercury News and other local newspapers came out in strong opposition to the recall. Resentment of the news media's "Freedom of the Press" interpretation, allowing only a liberal viewpoint to be expressed, has created a conservative backlash to their recommendations.

The satisfaction I derived from the recall was not that we elected an actor (who may or may not have the ability to govern), but over the anger of the voters in rejecting the new media's recommendations. An anger that prompted several thousand of them to cancel their subscriptions to the Los Angeles Times.

May I again thank Corporal Tom Ferguson for being a professional, not only in his personal endeavors, but also in his ability to describe a world of reality that counters the liberal's fanciful world where good is evil and evil is good.

Marge Evans

Saratoga

Help libraries with
'yes' for Measure B

Without support for Measure B and the campaign to save the Santa Clara County libraries, communities throughout the county stand to lose valuable library services. Measure B asks for an increase of $8 annually on the library tax county residents already pay. This is a solid investment, not only in the libraries, but also in the community as a whole.

These funds are critical. Library usage has skyrocketed in the past 10 years, due to cuts in school library funding, a higher demand for Internet access, and more people moving into the area. Measure B would ensure that money would continue to be available, and that library hours, materials and services would not be diminished.

The county libraries are not something that this county can afford to do without. Without the community's investment in Measure B, the libraries will suffer, and in turn, communities in Santa Clara County will lose a valuable resource.

Supporting this measure is a long-term investment. It is critical that we work together to keep county libraries strong. Invest in your library and vote yes on Measure B.

Carolyn King

Saratoga