Kosovo editorial flawed

I am writing in response to your June 16 editorial, "You break it, you buy it." In it, you have made two false implications. You imply that the crisis in Kosovo was caused by NATO's bombing, not Serbia's ethnic cleansing. Also, you imply that the Serbian people are not responsible and should not have to suffer.

It is clear that the looting, raping, killing and burning in Kosovo by the Serbians began before any NATO bombing. The World Court confirmed this fact by indicting the Serbian government for war crimes.

Secondly, contrary to your claim, the Serbian people are not innocent. They helped create and perpetuate the climate of ethnic and religious hate that made these crimes acceptable.

Today there is no moral indignation. Today they still refuse to admit the truth. If a person remains silent and supports crime with his silence, he or she cannot claim innocence.

At the war crimes trial after World War II, the architect for Adolf Hitler denied any involvement in the genocide. He stated that he did not believe Hitler. He did not kill anyone.

He only remained silent and supported the Nazis in order to advance his career.

The judge did not accept this excuse. He accused the architect of being more guilty than Hitler. Hitler committed crimes because he believed that he was right. The architect knew that Hitler was wrong but supported him anyway, therefore he was more guilty.

Christ, in his teaching in Matthew, 10:41, talks about our support of others and our responsibility. He says, "He who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward."

We are one in spirit with the people we support and defend, therefore, we receive the same reward as they. If we apply this principle to Serbia, we find that the Serbian people are not innocent.

If they remain silent and support a government of criminals, they deserve the same punishment as the criminals they support. They are one in spirit with their leaders.

Thomas L. Reid
UA alum, Tucsonan