In response to a current letter to the editor from island resident Sherman H. (I so hope they don't edit out profanity. Jesus christ cap.)
Silent Majority?
(Sherm, You Be Gettin Some Letters Back, I Predict)
According to a recent CBS News/NY Times poll. 34% of Americans approve of the current Bush administration's performance. Sherm, you're in this minority who believe the president deserves our unquestioning support. I feel compelled to ask--in response to your letter of last week, critical of Island Peace & Justice group's Monday evening vigil--what part of free speech don't you understand?
Sherm, jesus christ cap, with all due respect, you are a perfect example of what the Bush administration has so actively tried to achieve over the course of this last 5 years: shut down any criticism, vilify anyone who questions their authority.
It must be frightening to open one's mind to the possibility that the leadership of our country maybe, possibly, might could be acting in egregious error. That's certainly nothing we would ever want to experience. Yet clearly, a large majority of Americans have (finally) arrived at this conclusion. Our president's job disapproval is at an all-time high of 66%.
Is the war in Iraq a mistake? Even Francis Fukuyama, long-time conservative, neocon, author of "The End of History" disavows any further connection with this president's foreign policy. Even William F. Buckley, Jr., erudite conservative spokesperson, founder and editor-at-large of the "National Review" calls the war in Iraq a mistake.
Our school kids need to be protected from any criticism of our president's leadership decisions? Hancock county needs to be afraid of Deer Isle Peace & Justice? I'm sure you can't be serious. I mean, we could clamp down on the peace & justice vigilers. They're in disagreement with our leader. Maybe we could send em to a gulag or guantanamo...
I can't imagine, I really can't, how you can possibly express the sentiments you have in your Letter to the Editor. Were you never taught that to question the decisions of our leadership is part of the responsibility of citizenship? Our Founders believed questioning authority is an inherent obligation, guaranteed by the First Amendment. Democracy requires nothing less.
Finally it's coming down now, as is obvious to anyone paying attention to the unfolding of events: 9/11lies. Zero WMD, zero connection between al-qaeda and Saddam, Plamegate, Guantanamo. Abu Graib, Torture. Abramoff, Tom Delay, Katrina, NSA Wiretapping. Dubai Ports International, Iraq civil war...
Like the bumper sticker says, "Somebody give him a blow job so we can impeach him."
Let's agree to disagree on Bush's leadership. But I have to say I totally believe our Founders expected citizens to be engaged in the decision-making process. Our system of government is intended to provide checks and balances to authority, not monarchy, not authoritarian government.
As we surrender more and more of our civil liberties to the politically manipulated threats of global terrorism, ask yourself: is this the world we want to live in, our children and grandchildren to live in?
I have unmitigated contempt for our president and our current administration and believe they should ALL be impeached; president, vice president, secretary of defense and state; and ALL tried for crimes against humanity. And that's just for starters. I'm depressed by this situation, and very frustrated. But I make no apologies. I thankfully celebrate the liberties our country guarantees to me: my freedom to disagree and to express my disagreement.
This is what our troops defend, and I support them in their decision to give their energy and attention to service of country. I feel it is my responsibility to point to the senseless violence of our invasion of Iraq as a violation of international law and United States historical role of restraint and reasoned, measured response. Never before have we engaged in unwarranted unilateral military action. I am ashamed of our leadership.
Prior to the Bush administration the United States honored international treaties to which we were signatories. The Geneva Convention for example. is not in my opinion quaint. At this moment the US lies exposed before the rest of the world as dishonest, incompetent and hypocritical.
This, Sherm, is what makes me so opposed to the Bush administration's foreign policy.
No, I'm not active in Island Peace & Justice, but I respect and applaud their willingness to question this administration, certainly (as history will judge) the worst executive administration in American history.
It will take us decades to recover from the damage done to United States economy, infrastructure, constitution, judiciary, leadership role, environmental protection, reliance on fossil fuels. forward momentum in planetary evolution.
America is now hated by the majority of muslims, and many others world wide. Please explain to me: how does this make us more secure?
I believe we spread democracy by example. Gun barrel diplomacy has been, is and will always be doomed to failure.
I'm sorry to disagree so diametrically, Sherm, but jesus christ cap, get a friggin grip. The Island peace & Justice vigils? These are the rights the United States used to stand for in this world: individual freedom of expression. Or am I totally missing something you're trying to say...
Sincerely,
ksingh