Letter: War duties may change reader's perspective

Editor,

Since submitting my letter in response to Colin Donoghue's column on media bias, I have seen three responses to that initial letter published in the Daily Lobo.ˇ

My intent was to trigger a response and simply share some statistics reflecting positively on our soldier's efforts that may not be common knowledge. I was thrilled to read Melissa LaLiberte's and Brian Fejer's responses.ˇHowever, I need to relay a few things to Gregg Ozimek.ˇ

While I appreciate what he says, he needs to know that I wrote my article from my heart, as someone who just served four years in the United States Armed Forces in Operations Iraqi Freedom,ˇEnduring Freedom, and Noble Eagle.ˇ

Ozimek should know that I am familiar with families who have lost sons and daughters in Iraq. I need to do nothing more than look at my photo albums from less than one year ago to see faces that I will never see or speak to again.ˇ

And, not at all based on his suggestion, I will in fact be visiting two of these families this Christmas season. I am by no means promoting this war, and with every soul that dies in combat, it becomes harder and harder for me to sleep at night.ˇIf nothing else, hopefully those statistics can give purpose to all the troops still serving anywhere in the Middle East.ˇ

I did not mention my military service or anything of the sort because it shouldn't have mattered in regard to my letter on media bias, but I feel that now it needs to be on the record - and hopefully this will sit slightly better with Ozimek.

ˇˇ

Ben Mills

UNM student and veteran