Dear Ms. Lazzarino,
Recently an opinion article of yours titled "ROTC presence promotes militarization of the university, exploits the poor" to technician online, the student newspaper of North Carolina State University. Under the first amendment, you, as any other person in this country possess the right to freedom of speech. However, you must be careful when you write for a media source. Especially when you are lambasting the U.S. Military in a public forum.
Let's take a look at the first amendment. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." Your words do not bring any real life imminent danger to anyone, so yes, you have every right to publish your article, project your opinion, and not face government intervention to suppress your voice (unlike some countries around the world).
However, you are not only chastising a program at your university, but also all other programs across campuses in the United States, and the United States Military as a whole. I am highly aware that this argument has been made time and time again, but it is a necessary one that must be remembered. Since 1775, more than 1.3 million Americans have died in combat protecting the civil liberties granted to you by the Constitution. Almost 1.5 million have been wounded, many with life changing effects, In service to this nation. Sacrificing everything to do so, including their lives.
You claim, without support, that "Our dependence on the military has created a kind of legal blackmail that stifles NC State's intellectual and creative freedom, and exploits its students". In your follow up article, I am greatly interested in the evidence that makes you believe these statements, because I, as well as many others in how this can be. Universities are well known for students to challenge ideas, think creatively, and engage in civilized debate, why is the presence of a ROTC detachment, Army, or the other branch hinder these values?
You cite Andrew Sheppard's article in yours, where he called for your college's ROTC program to be shut down. You agree with him that the program "promotes U.S. Imperialism, and makes NC state complicit in the failed war on terror". This is a great stage for an argument of ethics, but in reality, NC state is not responsible for any conflicts or wars that the U.S. is engaged in. The University is not a part of any decisions when it comes to foreign policy or a deciding factor in how the Department of Defense conducts itself. It simply has a detachment on campus where those who want to pursue a career as an Officer in the United States military and earn an education can do so.
You claim that ROTC programs use "empty patriotism...to attract inexperienced and often financially disadvantaged recruits". It is very clear you did not do any research on how one joins a ROTC program because your article alludes that one walks in and says "hey, a guy told me to do this for America I want to join', this is far from the truth. To enroll, you must submit a whole host of documents, proof of citizenship, transcripts, medical forms, test records, civil and criminal involvements, as well as many others to be enrolled. Once enrolled, if you fail to meet the set Academic, Physical, and Moral standards you will be cut from the program. When walking into a ROTC detachment you do not see a rag-tag group of "poor and minority students" you see clean-cut professional cadets who want to be there, and are continually pushing themselves to success within the program and the university. Your statement concerning that ROTC exploits students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds is unfounded and false. I am not denying that there may be cadets who could be classified as such, but these programs are rich with diverse backgrounds. Students who have come from generations of service members, those who want to serve their nation, first generation service members, those wanting to lead, and those who possess a desire to protect the principles and people of the United States of America. Again, not a bunch of poor kids from urban programs who you belittled.
Let's talk about money. "Students enrolled in ROTC programs receive funding from the military for tuition, books, and monthly stipends on the condition that they serve after graduation" and you go on to say that this is an "attractive offer" for students who struggle to pay for college. When you enroll in ROTC you are not granted an automatic scholarship. They are handed out on a case by case basis during a cadet's first two years dependent on they meet (or rather exceed) set standards. You are correct in everything that ROTC provides, and the service commitment that it entails, but you fail to realize all the work one must do to attain it, and these people are fully aware of the implications of their commitments.
You write about how "most students college aged are also unlikely to appreciate the gravity of their circumstances" when joining ROTC. You fail to realize that in every war the U.S has ever fought, there have been those aged 18 fighting on the Hills of Philadelphia, The forests of Virginia, The trenches of France, The shores of Normandy and Iwo Jima, The Jungles of Vietnam, and the Sands of the Middle East. They knew or were soon made aware of what was coming when they were deployed, and they did so with grim determination and zeal that endures in the strongest of Americans. If they could do it, it is reasonable to assume that many students aged 18 and up are aware of the implications when they enroll in a ROTC program, especially if they will never see a deployment until after graduation, which would set their age around 21-22, where they have learned of what their service and sacrifice means for the country.
Your citations of limited financial means, youth ignorance, and evils of our armed forces are overwhelmingly unfounded when so many before you have proved you wrong in their service. The cadets who are in your classes are not expendable. They are training to be Officers in their respective branches. Those who lead, strategize, counsel, and make the very difficult decisions to keep American lives, and those who cannot protect themselves from the evils of the world, protected no matter what the cost, and sometimes, they do by the ultimate sacrifice. It is very obvious that you disagree with them but respect them. It is a very tough job to do, made even worse when some of your naive countrymen and women are oblivious to what has been done for you.
For your follow up article please share with us your learning experience. Go to your ROTC detachment and speak to the Cadre ( Active duty personnel who serve as instructors ) and the student cadets (not recruits). Take the time to learn why they chose to serve and what it means to them. Be prepared to listen to what they have to say. Rather than have the civilian population create their own interpretations of the U.S. military's actions, engage in civil discussion with service members to better understand the problems, threats, and situations that they live with. They do not enjoy all the same rights that you do. By becoming a member of the armed forces, they give up some of their rights, so that you may always have them. Ms. Lazzarino you live under the protection of The Constitution along with millions of other Americans, while Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, and Coast Guardsmen all devote themselves to protect it and everything that it stands for.
God Bless You Ms. Lazzarino. God Bless All Those Who Serve. And God Bless America.
Ms, Lazzarino's article is listed below.
man running in forestPhoto by 
