This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sgt. Bowe Bregdahl's return home has elicited a great deal of emotion. None seems to be directed at the source of the problem, war. War is spawned from hatred, anger, bigotry and mistrust. It gives rise to more of the same, heroes and deserters.
Whether Sgt. Bregdahl is a hero or deserter depends on point of view. However, this is a fact: if there is no war, there are no war heroes or deserters. In medicine, the best way to deal with an illness is to identify and eradicate the disease itself, not just treat the symptoms. This sort of thought should be applied to the process of war.
Nola Stam
Kearns