To the editor:

The new Republican attack on John Kerry goes like this: By saying that he didn’t judge people who dodged the draft, went to Canada or served in the National Guard, he was impugning the National Guard itself, as well as the commander in chief.

First, all Kerry is saying is that he doesn’t judge people who made a different choice than he did. Period. Not everyone is cut out to be a war hero like Kerry, and those who truly disagreed with the war should not be considered treasonous for following through on their convictions.

As for serving in the National Guard and how it relates to President Bush’s character, I don’t think anyone looks down on the National Guard and those who honorably served there. As someone who is about to deploy to Afghanistan with my Guard unit, I, personally, am offended by someone who used the Guard as an escape and didn’t even understand that he had made a commitment to something greater than himself. By saying that, I’m not saying that I look down on the Guard, but I am disgusted by those who would disgrace an honorable institution with their dishonorable intentions.

I think it would be only fair for the president to release his unexpurgated military records to the public, that we might judge for ourselves his intentions and his service.

Terry L. Welch,

Lawrence