Arson Assault on Mauritania RPCV Cindy Hunter and her family
Arson Assault
The arson at the home of an anti-war Harrisonburg couple was outrageous and must be condemned not only by those who believe in the First Amendment, but also by all those who believe in decency and humanity. The harassment of the Harrisonburg couple was appalling
Sam Nickels and his wife Cindy Hunter hold anti-war views and, like good Americans, let their views be known by posting a sign in their yard. Due to their beliefs, there had been cases of vandalism at their home. So the couple moved the sign to their porch. Apparently, the criminals who harassed the couple then upgraded their misdemeanor behavior to a felony.
A positive sign in this incident is the support the couple have received from friends, neighbors and even strangers from all sides of the political spectrum.
With more than 200 years of democracy, it may seen redundant and even boring to emphasize that the nation should treasure free and open debate, and that means treasuring dissenters. Harassment, intimidation and violence have no place in a democratic society and certainly have no place in Harrisonburg.
When Sen. John McCain was suffering in a North Vietnamese prison camp, he was presented a picture of an anti-war demonstration where protesters were burning an American flag. The picture proved America was wrong, McCain’s captors told him.
It proves just the opposite, McCain replied. It proves the value of the American ideals of freedom, free debate and the rights of individuals, especially the right of citizens to protest actions of their government.
The tools for debating the war in Iraq are pencils, word processors, computers, emails, signs, placards, discussion groups and the whole range of options available to citizens.
Violence and vandalism used to intimidate are not only criminal and cowardly, but profoundly un-American.
