All this talk about the assassination of Hamas leader Yassin, “terrorism,” and the “peace process” is really getting boring and redundant on both sides. Sorry Bubba (March 30 letter, “Yassin’s leadership similar to Hitler”), Vlad (March 25 letter, “Don’t scapegoat Israel for violence”), and you too Matt Denner (March 23 column, “Sharon not the man to incite a peace process”).

One thing that disturbs me by both the right and the supposed left on this issue is the need to compromise and find some middle ground.

This seems to be symptomatic of American politics in general, and especially liberals. Right-wingers claim to want to advance the “peace process,” and at the same time applaud the Israeli military actions.

Lefties claim to want freedom for Palestinians and peace for all of Israel, but condemn the violence on both sides. The assassination of Yassin is a prime example.

Liberals like Denner call the assassination immoral and unjust, but counter that he was bad and maybe he deserved it or some similar fate.

Right wingers simply label any freedom fighters as terrorists and think that allows them to ignore the very legitimate grievances from everyone from bin Laden to Hamas to the Zapatistas to dissenters in this country, and act without regard for any law.

The Palestinians have the duty, the right and the courage to get their freedom. They have proven their willingness to give the utmost sacrifice so their children and their families may someday enjoy the freedom that is their right. Israelis have this same right, as do all the people of the world.

We can argue about their tactics, but we need to recognize the right of Palestinians to defend themselves, and their freedom, by any means necessary.

We don’t need to look for moral equivalency or be politically correct; we need to draw an extremely important distinction between the violence of the oppressor and that of the oppressed.

On the “left” we need to stand up with our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Iraq, and recognize the legitimacy of their struggles. These are desperate people in desperate times desperately trying to survive and assert their freedom.

We need to stop making excuses and tiptoeing around their struggles. We should support the effort of Iraqis to liberate their country from the United States occupation, and we should support the Palestinians in their struggle against the oppression and terrorism of Israel.

Many of these people see their freedom as more valuable than peace.

Anyone who thinks they truly believe in freedom and justice needs to take a look at where they stand, and what sacrifices they would be willing to make. Here’s to peace and freedom in the Middle East and the world, and those fighting for it.

Ben Slattery

Urbandale