May 20, 2004

Street Talk by Justin Petersen

How do you feel about the videotaped decapitation of an American civilian by terrorists, allegedly in response to American photos depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghurayb prison?
(Asked at Vineland Branch Library)


“I think Iraq is just a complete mess. I feel sorry for the innocent people over there. I feel sorry for our soldiers over there. I just feel sorry for everybody. It’s a terrible situation. I don’t know what the answer is. It was horrible, [cutting off the civilian’s head.]”

May Miller
Almaden Valley
Retired

“It’s definitely not right. I can understand their anger and frustration, but resorting to that kind of violence is ridiculous. But they live in the kind of a society where that stuff is OK. My brother went to the war and he came back and said that a dead body over there is really not that big a deal. Even before the war it was like that. He said AK-47’s are like toaster ovens over there. It’s shocking for Americans, but for there them it’s not of any consequence. I think saying it is retaliation is just an excuse. I think this sort of thing is probably pretty common.”

Andrew Rios, 23
Almaden Valley
Student

“They tried to teach us a lesson. They were going to retaliate no matter what. They don’t have the same values as us. We were wrong treating their prisoners the way we did, but we didn’t kill anybody.”

Ann Lowe
Almaden Valley
Retired housewife



“It was terrible. We didn’t kill anybody with pictures. How is the CIA going to get people to answer questions if they can’t interrogate them in scary ways? Are we supposed to treat Iraqi prisoners nice while terrorists come around and chop our heads off? I don’t understand why the people in the United States are reacting the way they are reacting. How is it OK for the terrorists to chop off our heads but it’s not OK for us to interrogate them?”

Loraine Ancewcz
Almaden Valley
Housewife

“I don’t think it was justified to cut the man’s head off. I don’t think it’s ever justified to cut another man’s head off.”

Roy Davis
Oregon resident returned to Almaden
Retired Lockheed Engineer

“It’s not justified but neither is our invasion of their land. We went over there under false pretenses, supposedly fighting against weapons of mass destruction when it’s actually about oil. And I support that. I want my car to keep on running. However, I would just like to see a little more honesty from the government. We don’t need to know blow by blow what’s going on; if they have secrets, need to take care of some things—no problem. Just be a little more up front about it.”

John Marzo, 43
Redwood City
Self employed locksmith

“I feel it’s a tragedy. What our soldiers did was uncalled for. It wasn’t right. But at the same time, an eye for an eye is never the right answer. Retaliating in that manner won’t work.”

Kyle Yrigoyen, 20
Blossom Valley resident
Safeway Worker