Today I received the Dec. 3 copies of the front and sports pages of the Bangor Daily News, sent by a friend who knows I’m a Black Bear fan.

I couldn’t help but be attracted to the article next to the story about Maine’s superb win at Appalachian State, titled “War protesters rally in Rockland.” I see stories of anti-war rallies all the time, but I guess I felt the good folks in Rockland had better sense and were smarter than some misguided and less knowledgeable fools in New York, Los Angeles and other places.

I thought that even if we go to war now, it would be better than facing it later with many more casualties sure to follow. This era shows more analogy to the 1930s, with despots threatening Europe and Asia, than to the era of Vietnam. We don’t need “peace in our time” only to pay the bitter price later.

Then, as my anger subsided, I realized what a quandary this must put Hussein in. I’m sure he cannot conceive of a dissident public and a free press. He must wonder what our government means by threatening him on one hand, while allowing people to march against it or print this letter in the paper. He must realize by now that his firm belief that America will not fight because the people will not accept the death of many soldiers is wrong. We threaten him with war and then let the media report on marches against it. I wonder if he realizes his many blunders are because he cannot fathom a free people and press?

So march in Rockland, though I don’t agree with your position. I know, as an old soldier, that war is to be avoided until appeasement will result in worse. Let’s keep showing Hussein that we, as a free people, will continue to express our opinion, but when pushed to the brink will respond with devastating force.

James C. McBride

Norfolk, Va.