This letter ("Saddam Hussein happy about peace movement," Feb. 10 letter) questioning the patriotism of peace protesters is a typical and antiquated "red" baiting rhetorical strategy left over from the Cold War. If the author knew anything about the new peace movement at all, he would realize that it represents a very wide cross section of America. As one of the organizers for and participants in the massive Washington, D.C., peace rally in January for Florida Friends for Peace, I can unabashedly state that all of us in the peace movement realize Saddam Hussein is a dictator that needs to be ousted because of his policies in Iraq. However, we all believe that war, which leads to death, famine, health problems and many other ailments in society, is not a solution.

Can the author honestly state that peace supporters are anti-America? Would he claim that Thoreau, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammed Ali and a host of other previous American peace supporters were anti-America? Would he state that Quakers, Unitarian Universalists and Christians, religious groups that support peace in our country and are fervently against war in Iraq, are un-American?

The author and similar commentators need to realize that the new peace movement that has stemmed since Sept. 11 includes families, grandparents, all major religions, all socioeconomic classes, all ethnic groups and recent immigrant groups. We specifically defend peace and challenge any curtailing of civil liberties such as the Patriot Act, the secretive upcoming Patriot Act II, round-ups and detentions of so-called "enemy combatants" (none of whom have been charged with any civil and/or military crime). The author needs to come up with a better reason to criticize those most American of all citizens, those who believe in peace, liberty and freedom.