Observer

Issue date: 10/24/06 Section: Opinion

I met with Tom Kean Jr. on Aug. 14 along with three other military family members to discuss Iraq. Tom told us that even knowing everything that he knows now, he would still have voted to invade Iraq if he were in the U.S. Senate representing New Jersey in 2002. We asked him if Iraq is now in a civil war. He said that President Bush says it is not. I asked him what his definition of a civil war is and how would we know if Iraq slid into one. He could not answer that question. I asked him what would be the role of U.S. troops if Iraq were in a civil war. Again, he could not answer the question.

But Tom did promise to think about it and send us his answers in writing. How could a future Senator not have an opinion on these important issues?

We also asked Tom Kean Jr. if he had ever been to visit wounded troops in VA hospitals (as a state senator, I'm sure he has constituents who have been wounded in Iraq). He said that he was not allowed in VA hospitals because he is a candidate. This is not true. He is now aware that he can visit wounded war veterans. But cheering up wounded vets and showing his appreciation of their service and sacrifice is obviously not a major priority of his.

Tom told us how very important he believes it is for the United States to stay in Iraq and fight until Iraq's government is stable. We then asked him if he would consider enlisting and fighting in Iraq to serve our nation if he does not win in November. He looked like a deer caught in our headlights! He, again, did not answer the question. After regaining his composure, he said he would think about it and get back to us in writing.

After requesting these promised answers several times, his office called to say that the answers to our questions would NOT be forthcoming. Tom Kean, Jr. is a Chicken Hawk! He is perfectly willing to send other people out to war, but he wouldn't consider going himself! Why else would he not answer our questions as he promised?

Tom Kean, Jr. has shown disrespect to families of U.S. troops in harm's way (my son is a Marine Reservist who is in Fallujah on his third deployment since joining the Reserves in 2001 as an 18-year old college student at NJIT). Our troops also have "other priorities" and could find better things to do than risk their lives in a war based on lies. Why can't Tom Kean, Jr. show true grit and at least answer our questions and visit our brave wounded veterans of war?

Anna M. Berlinrut, NCAS '69
Maplewood


NJPIRG getting out the vote

I read the article in the Tuesday, Oct. 17 issue of the Observer about NJPIRG and our Voter Blitz.

Since September, volunteers with The New Voters Project here at Rutgers-Newark have been out on the streets, in classrooms, in dorms, and at tables registering young people to vote. With the deadline now passed, we have registered 500 student voters.

The last two elections have shown that young people do vote. In 2004, turnout among 18-24 year olds jumped eleven percentage points over 2000 levels. In 2005, young people in student-dense precincts in New Jersey and Virginia increased turnout in the gubernatorial election by 15 and 19 percent. This year, the New Voters Project is part of a coalition working to register 350,000 young voters for the 2006 election cycleóthe largest youth voter registration effort ever conducted in a midterm election year.

If the momentum holds, we might finally break the old stereotype that young people don't vote. I applaud the Observer for giving the youth vote the attention it deserves. Here's hoping politicians follow suit.

Sooin Shin, NJPIRG