I am writing this letter in response to Joe Litzinger’s message from April 2nd. Most of readers who did take part in the March for Peace on Saturday, March 29th, know who Joe Litzinger is. He was one of the two “pro-war” protestors that chose to walk within our group that was marching for peace without war. However, this letter is being written to free you from the disturbingly inaccurate information that he has tried to spread.

First things first, Joe has said that the march on Saturday was uneventful. While we did not get incredible news coverage, there were numerous photographers and newspaper reporters there to cover the protestors. In fact, there was a sizable article in the opening section of the Toledo Blade the next day that covered the rally.

That attention, along with the basic fact that our marching permitted the Bowling Green police to stop traffic for extended periods of time while marchers crossed the street is evidence enough that a significant impact was made on the town of Bowling Green and it’s citizens.

Joe keeps the inaccuracy ball rolling when he declared that an “equally large ‘pro-war’ rally marched downtown.” This statement is false in two very distinct accounts.

First of all, the second rally was organized by BGSU graduate student Jim Rose, a retired military veteran. He had gone to great lengths to make sure that this rally was strictly a “Support Our Troops” rally and had no political connotations involved. Jim had contacted the Bowling Green police and asked that they assist in removing anyone that attempted to involve a negative agenda whose goal was counteracting the peace marchers.

Secondly, Joe Litzinger’s statement on the size of the second march is inaccurate. If he had referred to the article written by Tom Henry that appeared in The Toledo Blade the day after the peace march, Joe would have read that the Bowling Green peace rally had in excess of 250 people marching down the town streets. A half hour later, the “Support Our Troops” rally had an estimated 50 people in attendance.

Another disturbing piece of information that was not present in Joe Litzinger’s letter to the editor was in relation to the nature of the signs that he, along with one other “Pro-War” marcher, was carrying within our peace rally. While Joe was holding an “I Back Bush” sign, another protestor was holding a sign that would make any true American cringe in disgust. On one side the sign read, “Respect Fuhrer Bush” and below that message there was a swastika (Nazi emblem). The opposite side of his sign read, “Might Makes Right”, and again, the message was accompanied by a swastika.

Now I pose this question to all organizations on campus that are in support of this war, along with our troops: Do you want white supremacist views associated with your side of this issue? Because that is what Joe Litzinger and his friends seem to be bringing to the table. I think it is safe to say that on Saturday, many of the peace marchers lost a great deal of respect for conservative groups on campus.