To the Editor:

I dispute Professor Michael Griffin's interpretation of Dr. William Rowe's pro-war letter (The Mac Weekly, March 28). Griffin acknowledges Rowe's case for war on purely humanitarian grounds but claims, "In the end, his argument amounted to the same thing one hears throughout the mainstream media: Saddam is evil, he has done great harm to his people, and so we are justified in invading Iraq militarily and installing a new regime."

The mainstream media justifies war because of the supposed threat that Iraq poses to America. Griffin may not believe that Iraq is a serious danger to the U.S., but what matters is that most of our countrymen do. More importantly, so does the president. Self-defense, justified or not, is the "pragmatic reason" the U.S. is in Baghdad. This is the sad legacy of September 11. It so traumatized Americans that we have sacrificed reason and justice to protect ourselves.

To say that Professor Rowe's "compassionate and detailed argument for the humanitarian liberation of Iraq has no relevance" is absurd. In explaining the horrid suppression of Shi'ites and Kurds, he provides an alternative argument for those who do not agree with the president's policy and includes reasons all of us should be glad to see Hussein go, even if we favor peace.

Professor Griffin's misinterpretation of Professor Rowe's article is symptomatic of the peace movement's wider failures. It replicates the mistakes of the warmongers by over-simplifying the war debate. Mirroring the shallowness of hawks, who condemn peaceniks for their lack of patriotism, many doves castigate anyone who is not opposed to war. Though acting in the name of principle, their arrogant self-righteousness offends pro-war people and those still undecided. Having been exposed to compelling arguments for both sides, we have a more sophisticated interpretation of events and be less confrontational towards pro-war folks. This is why I, and many other Macalester students, despite our distaste for the Bush Administration and for war, do not consider ourselves part of the peace movement.

Andrew Riely '05