Letter of the Day: True irony

True irony

EDITOR: People are always talking about something being ironic. Ordinarily they have no idea what they're talking about. Irony by definition is a combination of circumstances, or a result that is the opposite of what is or might be expected. For us to attack Syria is an irony. In spite of Hillary Clinton's glowing praise of Syria's president, Bashar Assad, let's assume that he is a ruthless dictator and is using weapons of mass destruction to massacre his own people. Why is it ironic to oppose such horrid genocide?

The irony is so evident. Our secretary of state John Kerry, who so voraciously supports the attack is the same person who, as a naval officer 41 years ago, helped found Vietnam Veterans Against the War. At the Winter Soldier Investigation in Detroit from Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 1971, Kerry participated in the hearings of more than 100 veterans and 16 civilians give firsthand testimonies of war atrocities that they either committed or witnessed.

And, oh yes, I was in the Mekong Delta as a refugee adviser. I witnessed napalm and white phosphorous drops on peasant villages and roasting alive of men, women and infants.

SHERIDAN PETERSON

Santa Rosa