I do not support a war in Iraq; however, I firmly do not support USG speaking to the nation’s leaders on my “behalf,” either. If and when I wish to speak to the leaders I helped elect, I will do so on my own terms. This is not merely my opinion, but it is my right. USG has no right to take that away from me, or from 18,000 other students. What I am most saddened by is not the recent personal attacks, but the fact that these uninformed students would allow and even support USG in taking away their rights.

I am also saddened by the fact that it appears Mr. Torney really thought President Bush was going to call everything off simply because “…USG has voted down the resolution concerning war with Iraq… thousands or millions of innocent people may die… and could even result in a world war.” Come on, you didn’t really think this resolution would make or break the situation in Iraq, did you?

We do agree that USG is nothing more than an immature group of students with grand illusions of importance. It is quoted that during the senatorial debate concerning Iraq, “Many… senators were absent, doing their homework, or even sleeping… several left early.” I, myself can attest to the fact that during this same meeting, a paper airplane tossed by an inattentive senator flew halfway across the room and senators had to be ordered countless times to “Stop talking and listen!” So we are in total agreement on that one.

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In the column it is questioned whether this representation is what SIU students deserve, but I think the answer was made pretty clear. What shocks me most is that USG is fully acknowledged as a complete joke; yet Marc still believes they have the right to speak on students’ behalf!! So, I will rephrase his own question and throw it back at him and everyone in support of the Iraq resolution:Is this the kind of representation you really want speaking on your “behalf” to our nation’s elected officials?