Diary: Who ya' gonna listen to?

Listening to the noises about going to war again, just for the hell of it once again, I decided to dig up the letters I sent to the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News, before and during the Iraq War.

AN ALTERNATIVE
October 21, 2001, SLT

Alternatives to the nightmare confronting us include the following: 1) an announcement that our government is moving 100 percent toward energy independence, starting immediately; 2) consequent reduction of our presence in the Mideast; 3) ending military aid to foreign countries, particular those suppressing Muslim people; 4) humanitarian aid to the children of Iraq and the people of Afghanistan, who are soon likely to be dying by the millions of hunger; 5) overhaul of our foreign policies with open, public debate; 6) turning the case of bin Laden over to the U.N., as required by international law; 7) slashing our military budget in half, since the military has seen fit to devote only 1 percent of its funding to reducing terrorism; 8) investing the other half of our military budget in education.

Such changes would be more fruitful and lead to far greater security than wrapping ourselves in American flags. Indeed, they would be far more American, if we are genuinely concerned about the future of this great land.

KEY ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES
August 27, 2002, DN

As a sixth-grade teacher, I've found some principles that help a class run smoothly: (1) Respect each individual as a unique human being and let it be known you're out to help, not beat them on the head. (2) Honor ideas, encourage kids to express their points of view and listen carefully. (3) Teach and practice compromise. Stress that civilized people resolve conflicts by examining causes and continuing dialogue, not violence. (4) Focus on constructive activities that spark the imagination and produce positive results instead of getting wrapped up in ego issues. (5) Push cooperation and show through example what can be accomplished when people cooperate rather than fight. (6) Talk softly, use big sticks sparingly. (7) Know that more and better ideas will come, and more doors will open, when you are moving in the right direction.

Given that young people in my class come from all over the world, and from a fantastic diversity of backgrounds, I can't help but think our leaders might benefit from these same principles.

ROLE MODELS
January 11, 2003, SLT

I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George Bush. These fine folks are such wonderful role models for our children. Our kids so desperately need to see adults calling others names, issuing threats and acting like schoolyard bullies.

They need to learn that violence and bloodshed and young men in body bags is the way to go! They must get the idea that it's good to act without reason or evidence, and lead lives governed by raw emotion and self-interest. They need to understand the futility of having a better vision for the world. And what a thrill to know that our own Karl Rove is right there with them, leading the world into a long, dark night.

TOTAL DEPRAVITY
February 11, 2003, SLT

"Necessary" wars are at best deplorable, disgusting vestiges of homo sapiens' long dark past. Unnecessary wars, such as the one President Bush actively seeks,
are symptoms of total depravity. It is difficult to understand how anyone with a conscience, let alone anyone who calls himself a Christian, would be willing to participate.

ALLEGED WMDs
April 22, 2003, SLT

We started a war in Iraq because the United Nations was taking too long to find weapons of mass destruction, which we were sure this country had and was eager to use, even though we could not produce one shred of evidence for our belief (apparently a Republican superstition rather than a scientific finding).

We kicked the U.N. out of Iraq, even though it showed clear signs of making progress, wasted several thousand innocent human beings, squandered no less than $70 billion (whilst homeless children wander our streets and the environment goes to hell in a handbasket), and now are unable to find the alleged WMDs.

We awarded astronomical contracts to the good buds of big business, deeply embedded in our government, for the rebuilding of Baghdad.

We protected Iraqi oil wells, but sat on our hands as innocent civilians and priceless artifacts of human civilization were converted to dust. We were unable, with our $400 billion a year military budget, to locate a cave man, alleged to be responsible for 9-11, who Bush promised long ago would be brought to justice "dead or alive." Meanwhile, we have essentially ignored a country that has the capability, and made the threat, to send nuclear weapons to our doorsteps.

This is a not a policy of "shock and awe," but a nauseating serving of BS and more. I encourage God to help America before He thinks about blessing it.

HATCH SHOULD REVEAL FACTS
April 30, 2003, DN

Sen. Orrin Hatch informed us not long ago that there is "No question there is a tie (by Iraq) to al-Qaida," and he argued that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

Hatch now has an opportune moment to reveal what led him to make these claims. The evidence could not be revealed, last I heard, because it would "endanger the sources" (presumably in the Iraqi government). Given that no one would now be endangered, the time is ripe for spelling out the facts that led to the killing of thousands of innocent people, the consumption of perhaps a hundred billion tax dollars, the untold destruction of property and our occupation of this oil-rich country.

Such a revelation, or lack of it, goes to the heart of the credibility and morality of Hatch and other supporters of the Iraq war.

KUCINICH FOR PREZ
June 18, 2003, SLT

If it were in your hands to stop war, eradicate terrorism, save the environment, improve education, provide adequate health care for all Americans, demand corporate responsibility, end unemployment and inject common sense into the drug war, would you make the effort?

When something sounds too good to be true, I may be the world's greatest skeptic. But after much reading and weighing of the facts, I believe it's fair to say that all the above, and more, is entirely possible, by supporting Dennis Kucinich in his bid for the presidency. Here is one candidate who appears willing and able to apply the light of reason to government policy. At this critical point in the history of life on Earth, I cannot think of a more important subject to become familiar with.

SEND BUSH 'OVER THERE'
June 27, 2003, DN

Accountability is a word in big use these days, particularly by politicians. And I have an idea how we could apply it to the ongoing nightmare in Iraq: All those Iraq war enthusiasts, who were so eager to get things started, should be sent in to replace the soldiers who want to come home.

Orrin Hatch could lead the first wave. We should have no trouble making a list of leaders for follow-up waves: Bush, Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld and others who could finally put their bodies and souls behind their ideals and serve as shining examples for the rest of us.

BUSH A SPOILED RICH KID
July 28, 2003, DN

It's long past time that Americans faced the facts: George Bush behaves like a spoiled little rich kid. He seems to have no clue what he's doing and clearly has no vision for our country.

All this is at a time when humankind runs the real possibility of destroying the very planet that supports us. I encourage every citizen to spend some time researching the candidates for presidency, then get behind one who can articulate a vision for America and demonstrate the courage to speak out consistently and forcefully against Mr. Bush.

TAXES SHOULD HELP PEOPLE
September 30, 2003, DN

Much hoopla has been generated in response to Laura Bonham's letter (Sept. 15) regarding which party has a better handle on how to spend money. Without being a cheerleader for either party, I can only say I would be far happier if my taxes went toward helping fellow humans rather than toward killing them.
I will be voting for Dennis Kucinich in the February primaries.

BOLSTER US SECURITY
October 25, 2004, DN [Note: I sent this letter before the Iraq war started, and I have no idea why the DN saved it for over a year, let alone chose to run it when they did.]

Alternatives to the extraordinary nightmare we are about to enter include the following: (1) an announcement that our government is moving 100 percent toward energy independence, starting immediately (by this I refer to efficiency, conservation and full-scale development of alternative fuels); (2)consequent reduction of our presence in the Mideast (a condition that may be forced on us anyway, if the Saudi regime fails); (3) prompt termination of military aid to foreign countries, particularly those suppressing Muslim people; (4) humanitarian aid to the children of Iraq (who are presently dying at a rate of 200 per day, due at least in part to our own policies), and to the people of Afghanistan who may soon be dying by the millions of hunger and/or freezing; 5) overhaul of all our foreign policies, with robust public debate; (6) turning the criminal case of bin Laden to the United Nations, as required by international law; (7) slashing our military budget in half, since the military has seen fit in the past to devote little of its funding to reducing terrorism; (8) investing the other half of our military budget in education, our most realistic and enduring hope for the future.

Such changes would result in more security than wrapping ourselves in American flags and in fact be far more American if we're truly concerned about the future of this great land.

TURKEYS FOR THANKSGIVING
September 7, 2006, SLT

Sen. Orrin Hatch informed us years ago that there is "no question there is a tie [by Iraq] to al-Qaida," and he argued emphatically that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

This so-called leader, like others in the current administration, has yet to explain this and similar claims which led us and Iraq into the hell that no one knows how to get out of. The claims could not be explained at the time "because that would endanger the sources."

Now Hatch and his compatriots are starting to pound their tom-toms to extend the war into Iran. These same individuals stood and cheered recently "to honor" a Utah family who buried their soldier son last week.

Utahns who support these demagogues and cast stones at Rocky Anderson make me think of turkeys cheering for Thanksgiving.