To the editor: The West Milford Memorial Day Parade is always a special day for our township especially since we are a nation at war. This war, like World War I and II, were thrust upon us. Then, like now, we have responded to those who hate us. Their hate is based on what we represent to the rest of the world. Our freedoms, our democracy along with our economic and military strength are the reasons why we have been targeted long before September 11, 2001. September 11, 2001 brought it all to our doorstep. West Milford has had numerous young men and women join the armed forces to help protect the freedoms we hold so dear. Their sacrifices do not go unnoticed. We celebrate and greatly appreciate their service to our country. Jim Geist, who is currently a candidate for West Milford Township Council wrote a letter which appeared in the AimAction News, West Milford Messenger, and Suburban Trends. The letter was titled, “No student left unrecruited.” Candidate Geist marched in our Memorial Day Parade. That letter and his participation in the parade is why I am demanding a public apology and public retraction of his comments. In his letter to the editors, Geist describes the military as “aggressive” in their recruiting and call them “liars”. What shameless audacity to march in a Memorial Day parade while disparaging the military in his letters to the editor. Where are your statistics that “enlistees never see the college money promised”? Where was your outrage when recruiters visited Park West High School when we both taught there? I surely do not remember recruiters being a problem to you, or being a topic of our commuting conversations. Therefore, on behalf of all of us who support our men and women in uniform and especially those who come from West Milford I demand an apology and retraction of your divisive and erroneous letter. We should expect more from a West Milford Council candidate and hopefully you will see the errors in your judgments put into print. Gian P. Severini Hewitt