To the editor:

The peace rallies held in Kansas recently were some of the largest on record. Over 1,350 people marched in Lawrence and 450 in Newton. This grassroots outpouring indicates the people of Kansas don’t want to go to war with Iraq. They aren’t convinced there is a “clear and present danger” to the security of America.

They know such a war would result in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of American young people and tens of thousands of Iraqi children. They realize war would cause harm to an already-fragile U.S. economy. They understand that war is an admission of failure by the politicians and diplomats. Our elected officials should listen to the voices of the people of the American Heartland and work for a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi conflict.

Clark H. Coan,

Lawrence