I am one of the many people who have -- despite school, work and volunteering -- been dedicating time to sit at the 24-hour-a-day Vigil for Hope at the Allen Street gates. We are an open forum for all to talk. I have seen some amazing things, like people who wholeheartedly disagree with my position on the war still stopping to intelligently talk and to reaffirm that what we are doing is positive and takes a lot of courage. I have also seen a lot of support from people who believe the United States should find peaceful solutions to conflict.

Amongst this, I have also, unfortunately, been exposed to the most despicable of Americans and indeed human beings, who drive or walk past shouting things like "kill them all" and "bomb the hell out of them!" This type of attitude is more common than I imagined. Those of you who do not oppose the war, but hope it will bring positive changes to the Iraqi people who survive: We need to come together to condemn this hateful, racist attitude that people are shouting here in our streets. For those of you who are doing the shouting, I hope you know that the sentiment you express, this desire to kill and a love for war, is one of the key reasons why America is so hated.

I hold you responsible for spawning anti-American sentiment and the terrorism it encourages. You are hurting this country with your hate. You are the true cowards.