Marine Corps brass' double standard

To the editor:The U.S. Marine Corps is attempting to foist upon former Marine sergeant Liam Madden an other than honorable discharge and calling him disloyal to boot. And why is that? Well, Madden's offense against the corps was to appear at a rally against the Iraq invasion attired, at least partly, in his Marine uniform. If it were not for the fact that the tainted discharge might hamper him in the world of civilian work in future.

What hypocrisy! Whenever President Bush appears in public to defend the invasion, it is never in front of a cross-section of our population, where he might be heckled, booed or catcalled. It is always in front of some right-wing group or in front of a captive audience of U.S. armed services members. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, you see, make good stage props for the president's lovefests. The same Marine Corps now persecuting Sgt. Madden seems to have no objection whatsoever to Marines being dragooned as enthusiastic little pom-pom girls at the president's beck and call.

DONN S. MILLER, Tamms, Ill.