The following was submitted to All Things Considered of National Public Radio in response to a report, July 16, 2007, on the death of a soldier from Athens, Ohio, affectionately called "Wild Thing."

My heart aches to hear of our fallen soldiers—such as "Wild Thing" of Athens, Ohio. But must you and the other media always censor the anger that, at least for me, intensifies the grief? Although these dead are heroes: They honorably and innocently sacrificed their lives, I dread their stories because corrupt politicians abused their courage, misdirected their commitment, and—let's not avoid the truth of the matter—wasted their lives. We are unconscionably embroiled in hopeless combat in Iraq, not only misconceived and bungled but also grounded in misinformation and deception from the start. Will no one state these aggravating facts?! I want to scream in outrage, not sob for the dead. Or if lament alone is the order of the day, let us lament the indifference of our citizenry, who have allowed this private war, a charade of a national effort, to go on.