A letter to the editor from our local anti-semite
Israel's dupes
Yes, I am still a conservative, a Republican, dating back to the time when Republicans did not start wars, favored a balanced budget and respected individual freedom. That was long ago and I cannot support the present administration.
Our foreign policy seems aimed solely at helping Israel. In so doing, we have created many enemies and lost the confidence of many friends. People in other countries recognize terrorism and inhumanity.
Here it is accepted that anything Israel does is justifiable and in self-defense. Some even have the twisted idea that this cruelty is God's will and because they named themselves "Israel" that they are chosen people. (Very few are descendents of Abraham.) Jesus taught love, not vengeance.
Kit Bond has given some of our tax money back to Northwest Missouri. It is a pittance compared to the billions and, some say, a trillion of our tax money that goes to Israel. It is our tax money, approved by Kit Bond, which provides the money to destroy homes, uproot crops, siphon much of the water supply, destroy power stations and terrorize the Palestinian people, day and night. In addition to our tax money, we give them our most advanced weapons to do destruction with.
Iraq was never an enemy of the U.S.A., but it was an enemy of Israel. So why are we fighting Israel's war? Iraq didn't fight us until we fought them.
Now Israel is urging us to fight Iran, who, again, is her enemy not ours. There is no evidence that Iran has a weapon of mass destruction or ever will. If they had, how would they deliver it? Israel has 200 to 400 atomic bombs targeted at places around the world. Israel's weapons of mass destruction have never been inspected by the United Nations.
Before war is conducted against Iran we can expect another "9-11" blamed on Iran. That will be followed by the loss of many more of our personal freedoms.
SIGNATURE
MY RESPONSE - yet to be printed (700 words long)
I wouldnt normally respond to a letter by XXXXX XXXXX since they so often say more about the author than his rant-du-jour. However, the letter that the News-Press chose to publish on March 10th reaches a new low that required my response on several levels.
First and foremost, this man is not associated with the organized Republican Party of Buchanan County in any way! Any of his ravings are his own, and do not reflect the opinion of the Buchanan County Republican Central Committee or a majority of Republicans.
His claim to be a Republican is certainly his prerogative and shows that anyone can claim to be anything they want. Unfortunately, just as one cant choose his or her relatives, the Republican Party cannot prevent someone from calling himself a Republican. Mr. XXXXXs version of conservative is fortunately in the past as far as the local party is concerned, and he has now darkly branded both conservatives and Republicans by claiming an association with them. His libertarian attitudes have been well reported in the past, as well as his condemnation of anything Israel up to and including the picketing of a visiting holocaust survivor.
Addressing his perspectives (not worthy of the word facts) will extend this beyond a usually publishable length, but let me make a few comments:
Attitudes toward the US worldwide are easily traced to our prosperity and power. Countries in the rest of the world struggle as they become more socialist or dictatorial, but the United States and Israel continue to grow, and develop products for the benefit of the planet.
His attacks upon Israels legitimacy and actions are certainly as one-sided as you can get, unless you have an obvious agenda. By referencing the demographics of Israel (one cant tell whether he is saying it isnt mostly Jews or that its Jews arent descendants of Abraham) his insight leads one to believe that he is either confused, because someone other than Jews established the country of Israel, or that he is offended, because Jews call themselves the Chosen People (those who educate themselves know this is not a claim of superiority but of responsibility to God). Actions against Palestinians are not done without provocation, they do serve a defensive purpose, and Israel has conceded land and autonomy to a Palestinian government without thus far resorting to randomly firing rockets into residential areas or blowing themselves up on busses or in restaurants.
Iraq was an enemy of the US. Our problems with Iraq included its attack and threat of attack on sovereign countries in the Middle East thereby threatening our oil supply, use of WMDs and terrorism against its own citizens, a plot to assassinate the President of the United States, and refusal to abide by the worlds conditions for suspending aggression after the Gulf War.
Rhetoric from Irans president and chief cleric does not threaten just Israel, but the entire Middle East, the US, and the world. With its own brand of worldwide extremist Islam as a goal, alliances are being formed, missiles are being tested, and weapons-grade nuclear material is its aim. As the worlds number one sponsor of terrorism, Iran is much more than Israels problem.
Before I close, I congratulate Mr. XXXXX on his contacts that enable him to not only prove the existence of, but also quantify and expose the top-secret targets of any nuclear weapons Israel may hold (without making any direct threats to its neighbors).
Blaming all the worlds problems on the Jews has long been a tactic of those who would prefer a final solution to the strife they claim Jews cause. In a country smaller than Lake Michigan, surrounded by hostile countries that occupy an area greater than the size of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana Alabama, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee combined, I can see where most sane people would consider them a threat (thats sarcasm by the way). Thank you News-Press for once again exposing what lives among us; its a shame that by associating himself with decent Republicans and conservatives he has endangered our reputation and the strong relationship Republicans promote between the United States and Israel.
OPTIMIST