  A letter I wrote to the Nation I am puzzled by urlLink John Nichols's elaborate criticism of Cheney . I think it goes without saying that in judging others, we are hypocrites. But that is a truism and not worth writing an article about. How can we dare to speculate upon another's reasons for enlisting or avoiding a draft? War is not the only way to serve one's community. I would be the last to say that Cheney's life is somehow more valuable than any of the others from Casper, WY who died, but it is absurd to say that someone died in his place .
I wonder what his daughter would think to hear that she had been born "conveniently" so that her father could avoid the draft. Even if there is a modicum of truth to that, it is merely mud-slinging. We expect as much from candidates entrenched in the political mire, but not from the usually clear-sighted Nation writers. with respect, Margaret Trias Yale graduate student, Physics 
