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Letters - Dec. 16

ISSUE | MILITARY Soldiers are real people, not 'boots' Stop referring to soldiers as "boots on the ground." As a soldier's mom, I want to point out that these "boots" are living, breathing human beings. Soldiers are daughters, sons, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, in-laws, fiancées, and friends who will be sent into a war zone. No matter what your posi

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ISSUE | MILITARY

Soldiers are real people, not 'boots'

Stop referring to soldiers as "boots on the ground."

As a soldier's mom, I want to point out that these "boots" are living, breathing human beings. Soldiers are daughters, sons, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, in-laws, fiancées, and friends who will be sent into a war zone. No matter what your position on military involvement in the world, we should not dehumanize any person by referring to him or her as a "boot."

It will never be OK to send a person as a "boot" but mourn that same person as a "soldier." Sending soldiers into war feels thought out; sending "boots" feels way too easy.

|Janice Winston, Philadelphia, jcwinston4@gmail.com

Clarification

A commentary by former Gov. Ed Rendell published Monday, "Time is right to develop Phila. energy, container hub," failed to mention his work as a consultant for energy and container companies.