Re: "Protesting disrespects soldiers who are fighting," April 1 letter.

During the Vietnam protests, there was a famous slogan: "We're not against the soldiers, we're against the war." Even with the recent slaughter of eight Iraqi civilians, that phrase hasn't changed. Also unchanged is the ignorance portrayed by those most adamantly opposed to the protesters.

In response to the claim of violent peace protests, the only violence present is that which is directed towards the protesters themselves. In the march on Los Angeles -- when people were assailed with tear gas, pepper spray, and night sticks -- it was the police, who under orders to neutralize and disperse the crowd, fired the first shots. The internal report released after the incident explicitly stated the order was given without provocation. This was major news for a day, yet abruptly disappeared from headlines with no follow-up stories.

As for the little quip about "needing another one from Saddam," I'll politely offer the reminder that it was al-Qaeda that killed 3,000 civilians. Osama bin Laden is based 1,400 miles east of Saddam and in his audio tapes has referred to Saddam's socialist Baath party as "infidels" and an "apostate regime." Not too friendly of a relationship there.

Free-thinking is not dividing up this country, ignorance is. Support your position with facts, not feelings. Before you whine about us disgusting you, imagine how it looks from our side.