A recent study of the effects of airplane noise, especially from Whidbey Island’s Growlers, reported serious deleterious impacts on the natural life of the Olympic Peninsula, especially on the pristine quiet of the Olympic National Park, its natural inhabitants and its human visitors.
I expected the usual defense of the Navy from those who believe that patriotism consists in seeing all of our country’s actions as good.
In fact, a Dec. 20 letter that claimed the Growler noise is a small price to pay for our safety was headlined by the paper “The Sound of Freedom.”
The writer of that letter used an example from the Vietnam War to show how important the Navy’s training is for our pilots, who will eventually be deployed “into harm’s way anywhere in the world.”
There is the problem exactly.
Instead of practicing to defend America, the naval fliers are practicing to attack foreign targets, in service of our global bases, over 800 across the world.
If the shameful Vietnam War is any example, they will be dropping bombs on hapless peasants.
Perhaps that letter should have been headlined “The Sound of the Empire.”
Dick Conway
Port Townsend