A BuzzFlash Reader Contribution

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Thoughts of a Concerned Citizen

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Daniel Patrick Schamle

Recently in my local Kansas paper, a man wrote a Letter to the Editor deriding Democrats for, "carping, whining, crying and having much gnashing of teeth about nothing." (Lawrence Journal World - Public Forum, Friday, July 22, 2005). With a mischievous grin towards former President Clinton, I would respond that this depends on what your definition of "nothing" is.

This man, and others like him, would have us believe that an Iraq war, based on lies, is "nothing." Perhaps you too remember statements such as, "We know exactly where these Weapons of Mass Destruction are." The threat of nuclear mushroom clouds, springing forth over American cities, was trumpeted by President Bush, Vice-President Cheney, Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld, National Security Advisor Rice and others. The Downing Street Minutes show clearly that these were known lies. This Administration lied to the United States Congress, but more importantly they lied to the American People. And yet, the cry echoing throughout our land from a large part of the media is usually something like, "Have you noticed how weird Michael Jackson is?" or "Oh my God, look, it's the Runaway Bride!!"

There is "nothing" (we are told) to the stories about how similar torture techniques were developed and then spread rapidly throughout lands thousands of miles apart, (dang, don't those bad-apples get around quick). "Nothing" to get riled up about (we are told) when Halliburton profits soar 488% since the beginning of the Iraq War. Let's just keep it between you and me that Vice President Cheney happens to own over 100,000 shares of Halliburton stock. Keep it under your hat the number of criminal investigations Halliburton's Iraq Operation is under, and yet they still receive government contracts. Don't even think about how this Administration has achieved everything it wished for in the 1999 Neocon document put out by the "Project for a New American Century."

A list of other elephants in the room we must not look at include: The four reasons put forward for invading Iraq; How the United States is now seen by the majority of people in the world as the biggest threat to world peace; A healthy, growing insurgency in Iraq; Journalist being bought and paid for by this Administration; A massive (and growing) Federal Debt; Unknown number of death, woundings, and scarring of humanity; Little or no jobs created; Big business - deregulated and out-of-control; The ignoring of global warming and environmental issues because it would cut into profits, and profits are the bottom line with this Administration. Let us not forget President Bush's stirring rallying cry in the days after 9/11, when he said to a grieving nation, "Keep Shopping!!" History will no doubt place this next to Churchill's "We will fight them on the beach" speech.

I tend to disagree with those who would say I have no reason to "whine and carp." What would have happened if the Founding Fathers hadn't been a bunch of whiners? I stand opposed to Bush, what he's done, and where he is taking our country. I send out thanks to my fellow Kansan, and those like him, who continue to strengthen my conviction that we need to get these criminals out of office and into prison where they belong.

Daniel Patrick Schamle
Lawrence, Kansas

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION