To the editor:

Of late there has been some debate about patriotism. Is rejecting existing policies unpatriotic? Demonstrating against existing government policy, be it about how to proceed with the war in Iraq or about how to fund Medicare as it approaches insolvency, is not unpatriotic. In fact, when kept in bounds, it is the essence of patriotism. When mistakes are made, we all have a responsibility to demand they be rectified. That is particularly true when the nation is at war and the issue is the conduct of that war. The lives of our young men and women demand nothing less.

Is declaring support for our troops a measure of patriotism, as some would have us believe? Should not such statements be backed up with action? Payments for medical care for military families have been reduced. Training is suffering because of harsh deployment schedules brought on by insufficient staffing. Housing and other support needs for our military families are underfunded. The strain on our military families is unprecedented. We are among the richest nations on earth and our economy is supposedly thriving. Where is the real support?

George Lippencott,

Lawrence