Editor’s Note: Student Union is written by students at Hampden Academy, Brewer High School, John Bapst Memorial High School, Old Town High School, MDI High School, Ashland Community High School and Schenck High School in East Millinocket. The weekly column is a joint effort among the schools, the Bangor Daily News and Acadia Hospital. This week’s column was written by a Hampden Academy student. Her adviser is Matthew Moon.

Air Force Master Sgt. Michael H. Maltz was an energetic, fun-loving guy. At a buff 6 feet 4 inches tall, he was literally a poster boy for the Air Force Pararescue, a job in which he had thrived for more than 20 years. He was killed in the line of duty on March 23, when his helicopter crashed in Afghanistan. I didn’t know him as a soldier, but as a member of my family.

When the talk of war began, long before the death of my uncle, I was uncertain of my opinion. I had listened patiently to the ravings of extremists favoring nuclear action, and had marched with protesters in subzero weather through the streets of Bangor, until one thing became painfully clear: No one was offering a truly viable solution.

In the midst of the politics, both the pro-war and peace campaigns have neglected an important aspect of this conflict: the humanitarian issues. Of course the protesters speak of the reasons why war itself is a humanitarian violation. And pro-war conservatives address the domestic threat. But what of the condition of the Iraqi and Kurdish lives that have been dehumanized while we stand by and argue politics?

My generation has not been convinced that Saddam is a direct terrorist threat to American citizens, and some believe that we should focus our efforts elsewhere, such as North Korea, which is perceived to be a greater threat to our freedom.

But Saddam is a threat to our freedom. Who can be “free” in a world where atrocities are being committed by those in power against their own people? While I certainly do not believe that the reasons for the U.S. invasion of Iraq are selfless, I do believe in the necessity of the removal of Saddam, and there seems to be no alternative, except for this unpopular war.

This is not to say that I am all in favor of this war. I am not. I do not believe the American government has ever done anything without its own intentions at heart, but perhaps at this time, it is our only moral option.

Up until the news of my uncle’s death, the war seemed just another distant governmental crusade, rather than a human conflict. I saw the war as more or less a stunt of the media, persistent political propaganda laced with clever tricks to force our support of federal interests. Different regimes have done the same throughout history, and it has almost always produced the desired effects. Up until that point, however, I had done a typical American job of keeping the war confined in my TV at a safe and comfortable distance, being able to tune in only when I was interested and just often enough for it to take the form of reality.

The burden of war does not appeal to youth who are estranged from patriotism and disappointed by democracy. This was before the helicopter crashed.

My family and I soon learned that the six men aboard my uncle’s HH-60G Pave Hawk had been volunteers on a humanitarian mission to bring two Afghani girls to emergency medical attention. This, I realized, is the essence of this war. People, American people, fighting for freedom in its truest sense – freedom so that others may live. “So that others may live,” appropriately the motto of the Pararescue, is the cause of my uncle’s death, and the reason for all American casualties. Our men and women are dying not for politics, but so that fellow human beings may enjoy the same comfort and peace that we have every day.

Let us all look past the politics and realize just how deeply we are all affected by this conflict. In order for freedom to truly exist, everyone must contribute, even the most ardent lovers of peace. Regardless of personal opinion, our troops deserve nothing less than our wholehearted support. They die with us in their hearts and survive in our prayers and memories. Now is the time to be proud of their courage and strength in facing the injustices of our modern world, and know that ultimately, they die for humanity, for each of us, and not for our politics.