Contreras' attacks on peace activist miss the mark

By: JORGE MARISCAL | Tuesday, March 15, 2005 10:40 PM PST ∞

Fernando Suarez del Solar has gained international prominence as a peace activist and opponent of the Bush administration's foreign policy. Suarez speaks eloquently about the very real threats that face us. But he sincerely believes that the invasion and occupation of Iraq were both morally indefensible and a strategic error that will only increase dangers here and around the world.

From this principled position, Suarez opposes the war in Iraq as an act of conscience and supports the troops because he believes the sacrifice and courage of the troops ought not to be exploited and misused.

Although Suarez has been on the lecture circuit for more than two years ---- since shortly after his U.S. Marine son Jesus died during the invasion of Iraq ---- media attacks against him have heated up in recent weeks. The most shameless attacks have been penned by Raoul Lowery Contreras.

Contreras' recent column in the North County Times ("A peace activist on the payroll," March 10) is full of distortions. It is one thing to disagree with someone on a political matter, it is something else to invent another man's biography so that it fits a set of stereotypes.

Contreras tells his readers: "There is no record of his participating in the body politic prior to his son's death in Iraq." In fact, Suarez was a high-profile community activist and advocate for poor people in Tijuana before he emigrated.

Most outrageous of all, Contreras claims he, rather than Jesus' own family, is the true guardian of Jesus' memory.

But what seems to anger Contreras most is that Suarez receives compensation for his public speeches. It is true that Suarez is paid for his travels and lectures but only in order to continue his campaign for peace and equal opportunity for Latino youth. He and his family have not used one dollar for their personal comfort. Does Contreras perform his professional activities for free?

Contreras' attempt to separate citizens from noncitizens on the issue of Iraq is laughable. A survey completed last month by the Pew Hispanic Center shows that 57 percent of U.S.-born and 54 percent of foreign-born Latinos do not believe Bush has a clear plan for bringing the situation in Iraq to a successful conclusion. Overall, 51 percent think U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible. Clearly, Suarez's positions are widely shared by many Latinos.

So what is Contreras up to? Given the recent flap about the Bush administration's payments to media talking heads like Armstrong Williams, readers ought to ask themselves whether or not Contreras is another mercenary on the GOP's Rolodex.

Future scholars will look back at this time and try to sort out the contributions made by Suarez and Contreras. Who lost his only son and then took up an ethical position against a war planned and executed by a small band of ideologues? Who furthered his career by unfairly attacking the father of a dead U.S. Marine? Let history be the judge.

Jorge Mariscal is a Vietnam veteran and literature professor at UC San Diego.

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