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Response to Osama bin Laden

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Daniel Geery
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You claim that we flee from the embarrassing question posed to us: "How is it possible for Allah the Almighty to create His creation, grant them power over all the creatures and land, grant them all the amenities of life, and then deny them that which they are most in need of: knowledge of the laws which govern their lives?"

I can think of many answers, but I'll give you the one I believe is most important for humankind: If we recognize ourselves as brothers and sisters on this small planet, with many different ideas and backgrounds and points of view, and we actually treat each other as brothers and sisters (as religion and science tell us we are), then the law which will govern our lives will be a simple one: It will be kindness to one another.

I have a friend who is 86. She was raised as a Mormon, but fell away from her religion after much studying and soul searching. Now she is an atheist""an "infidel" in your dictionary. Yet she is kind and gentle and considerate of others, and one of the most wonderful people you could meet. I would take a million "infidels" like my friend over any number of "true believers" who advocate violence. My friend practices kindness, the law that was placed in our hearts at birth, and that we can hear if we listen to our hearts.

Do you believe in that law? Do you really listen to the heart you were blessed with at birth?

You mention kindness in your letter, but you evidently fail to understand or practice it. So many of your words are as hollow as are those of George Bush. If you want to convert me to your religion, or even begin thinking about it, you will need to start by good example and showing me peace and kindness""like the student I mentioned earlier, who touched my soul far more than you have""and not by using force and violence.

As for changing America, I and countless others are working hard to bring that change about. We are dismayed that our country has sunk to the depths the world now sees, and we remain committed to changing that. We don't wish to shake a fist at the world, but to extend a helping hand and to take care of our own enormous problems as quickly as possible. Even though we seem to be victims of our own system--even now we are largely ignored by the press--we continue working to elect a president who believes in the America we are supposed to be.

Here is what I would like to see: A leader who will stand up to corruption and who has the vision to move our country away from the shoals of insanity that George Bush and others have taken us into. I would like to see a leader who supports the United Nations and wants to make that body what it is meant to be: a body of nations that resolves differences in a just and peaceful manner. I'd like a leader who makes nonviolence a principle of society, and who seeks to make war archaic. One who believes in peace, and settling differences amongst people without killing, in accord with the commandment of many religions: Thou shalt not kill.

I'd like a leader who realizes that other countries are our neighbors and potential friends, and sees each person as sacred. One who understands that every person makes a difference, and that each choice we make influences those around us, and that an injury to one person is a grievous injury to all. One who believes that justice must be uniformly applied, and who thinks vengeance is to be reserved to the Lord.

I want a leader who would stand by treaties that have been made in the past, and who wants to support the Kyoto Protocol. One who wants nuclear disarmament on a global scale, and wants to do away with weapons of mass destruction everywhere. I'd like a leader who would give strong safeguards to protect the environment, and who would abolish NAFTA and WTO, which do so much harm to people and places of the world. A leader would develop clean and renewable energy sources, and who would work to end corporate influence in politics, and assure that future elections truly represent the voice of the American people.

I think all this would be a good place to start, for all right-minded people who want positive changes. And I encourage people everywhere, particularly in America, to rise up and become educated about what is going on and what is at stake.

I also encourage you, Osama bin Ladin, along with Mr. Al-Zawahiri, to raise your standards for yourselves and those who listen to you: Stop being a destroyer of life and become a real peace-keeper, with kindness in your heart, courage in your soul, and good will toward fellow humans. Reread the Koran and respect that, rather those things that anger drives you to find.

I realize nothing is likely to come of this letter, and that, like many of my letters, there will be no one to even publish it. But if I fail to say these things, I cannot have peace and honor within myself. I have also written this because you made accusations and complaints and suggestions to me, as an American citizen, which I have read and considered carefully.

I have responded in good faith to your allegations, and it is only fair that you consider my concerns carefully too. I would be pleased to hear your response, particularly if my thinking is somehow incorrect. Do you want to continue like the person you repeatedly condemn, or would you prefer to join the people of our planet, acting as a voice of reason and compassion?

With kindest regards,

Daniel Geery

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In my run for U.S. Senate against Utah's Orrin Hatch, I posted many progressive ideas and principles that I internalized over the years. I'm leaving that site up indefinitely, since it describes what I believe most members of our species truly (more...)
 

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