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		Letter to Editor March 5, 2007 Letter © 2007 Bonnie Peterson.  Published with Permission.

M-16s in the forest? I thought it was a joke.

By Bonnie Peterson

Editor's Note: On Thursday afternoon, Feb. 22, members of the Michigan Tech Army ROTC program reportedly conducted a training session in the BOSS Snowplow Wax Center located on the MTU cross-country Ski Trails (now called the MTU Nordic Training Center). A few days in advance of the training session, Mike Abbott, Michigan Tech Sports and Recreation director, in an email quoted below, informed skiers of the ROTC plan to use this facility.* Several skiers sent comments to the email list. Bonnie Peterson sent the only strong objection (as far as we know). We have chosen to publish her comments here, with her permission.

"It just seems like this is something more appropriate to a building where there is never any possibility of people being in the vicinity. Why have military type exercises where people are skiing in the woods? It's contrary to the peace of the woods; its plainly disturbing to see people with rifles, no matter where they are or what their purpose. What does this say to our children?"

The above paragraph was my response to a notice on the ski and trail user lists:* ROTC would hold a "simulated raid on a room in the (Wax) building (at Tech Trails). Cadets will learn how to approach, enter, clear and exit a room that may be under enemy control. Cadets will be armed with dummy rifles that resemble M-16s. Note that these replica rifles are absolutely incapable of firing; they are made of plastic."

I thought I was suggesting that a different place or time might be more appropriate for the cadets. But you'd think I'd called for immediate unilateral withdrawal from Iraq! I received 11 angry, insulting emails (mainly sent to the entire list but some so embarrassingly hostile they were sent only to me) questioning my patriotism, and saying variations of: if the cadets didn't do this exercise at Tech Trails, we would have to fight the terrorists on our own soil. Funny, I just read that identical line in a letter from my Representative; but at least he doesn't put me down or question my patriotism.** One response seriously predicted that I wouldn't be opposed to the practice raid if we lived in Switzerland, where there is mandatary military service!

A few days passed and the ROTC professor sent an email to the list thanking everyone for their support and reiterating the military readiness imperative, invoking the President himself. I realized that an alternate venue or timing was not going to happen and there would be no supportive emails. I was shocked. I sent a second email to the list, which I thought might appeal to the importance of tourism and public relations. It also expressed dismay at the large number of emails questioning my patriotism:

"I believe it is inappropriate for ROTC to have a military style assault exercise involving dummy rifles in the Wax building at Tech Trails when community members, students, tourists, and possibly minor children and younger students are possibly going to see these activities. It could be disturbing and contrary to the peaceful experience of skiing in the forest.

This Thursday is a few days before the Birkie when traditionally many folks from out of town buy hotel rooms to practice for the Birkie. What a shock for them to pay for a world class trail and witness a mock military simulation!

Consider the person who doesn't read this trail list and comes upon it. Have the PR implications been considered? What about the reputation of the company who advertises on the building and of the University?"

When I posted this message to the trail list, I received many hostile, personally insulting emails from people who were ashamed to post them to the list, in addition to the ones which were on the list. Missing the point entirely, they accused me of being unpatriotic.

After my second posting, there was a mixed response: five supportively-neutral emails with apologies for the rude email (mainly sent to me privately), and five more angry emails (more private this time). The person in charge of permitting the ROTC activity apologized for the nasty emails. I wish he had sent a copy of his apology to the whole list because I think it would have signaled to the hostile audience that the administration respects and wants alternate viewpoints, not just off-topic patriotic insults.

When the top people invite other viewpoints, more people will hopefully feel freer to express themselves. I believe this whole experience points to a need for tolerance education.

Editor's Note: The author of this letter, Bonnie Peterson, is a Chicago-area resident who regularly spends about two months of the year visiting the Keweenaw to ski, hike and paddle. *Mike Abbott, MTU Sports and Recreation director, also corresponded with Keweenaw Now on this issue, explaining that he had taken the time to discuss the issue with a variety of people before making his decision to allow the ROTC session at the MTU Trails site.  **Bonnie Peterson's U.S. Representative, mentioned above, is Peter Roskum (Illinois 6th District). Keweenaw Now welcomes respectful letters from readers who may wish to comment on this issue or reply publicly to Ms. Peterson.

Note: Views expressed by our guest columnists and correspondents are not necessarily the views of Keweenaw Now.