Letter: Protesters didn’t get it right at all

Tuesday, March 25, 2003 | 8:47 a.m.

There should be a school that teaches protesting procedures. Not liking something doesn't mean to go with the flow, march with a sign in hand, shout obscenities and destroy property. As seen on television, there's often no organization for these rallies elsewhere in the nation.

Some protesters have acted like animals against police when they should show leadership to our youth and others that we're still civilized and educated. A protest leader of good mind would have known how to be successful in the eyes of the public and media in dealing with this Iraqi situation.

Protests could have been advantageous to our citizens' government and fighting men by not showing protest against our government actions. It's a slim chance, but with so many protesting around the world, protesters could have possibly prevented this war by banding together with signs telling Saddam Hussein, "We want peace, leave voluntarily." If they accomplished this, their mission of protest would have been a tremendous success in saving lives and preventing a disaster.

Instead, protesters went about it wrongly expressing " peace, not war," giving the wrong message to Saddam. If he loved his country and was a leader of high standing, he would have stepped down to prevent death and destruction to it and his people. As such, the protesters gave him the idea they couldn't care less that he remained in power.

This left our government and allies with no other option but war liberating Iraq from this dictator, for the good of the Iraqi people and the world.

CHARLES A. HAGEN Pahrump