Letter to George Bush

Personal | 16 September 2001 | GB, California, USA.

[Norn Iron]

Dear President Bush,

I am an ordinary American citizen of 46 years. I live in liberal Northern California, but I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, steeped in the traditions of our founding fathers. The son of a couple of high school sweethearts who are still married after 54 years, I have been in a committed and loving relationship myself for 21 years. My father served in the OSS in London during World War II. When I was old enough to serve in the military, I was at the mercy of the first lottery system. I felt fortunate that my number was not called.

Most of my friends and associates pray that our leaders of government will consider a path of peace to approach this devastating attack on our civilians. While everyone agrees that the hateful perpetrators must be punished, must be held accountable, not everyone agrees that war is the only way, nor may it be the best way to proceed.

Yes, we all find ourselves in a personal war against the terrible people who masterminded this attack. We are in a personal war against anyone who shows such disregard for human life. But I profoundly believe that, rather than preventing further atrocities, waging a war of retaliation can only provoke the unnecessary killing of thousands more innocent victims. It will kill innocent families in the Middle East. It will kill innocent American soldiers. And it most likely will bring further killing to our blessed homeland.

We are so fortunate to be in a part of the world geographically that is, for the most part, in peace. Our Canadian neighbors are at peace. Our neighbors in Mexico, although struggling dearly with economic woes, are a peace-loving people. America can show the world that there is a greater response to war. We do not need to be afraid. We can be a compassionate world leader. We can bring those guilty to justice without waging war. We can show our strength by refusing to lower our definition of human life.

Mr. President, you must remind America that our friends have friends who are Arabs. Our children have friends who are Afghani. Our brothers are married to Israelis. Our sisters are married to Pakistanis. Our co-workers are Muslim. Our neighbors are Persian. This is, indeed, true in San Francisco where I write you from. These friends and wives and husbands and co-workers and neighbors are in fear of their lives because America perceives them as the enemy. They are being sneered at. They are being spat upon. They are being made victims of ignorant hatred. If America wages war now, we wage war against ourselves.

Please protect our Americans. I have always been an American. My father's family, descended from Spain, arrived in America in the 1850s from Ireland. My mother's family has been here since the 1720s from Germany and England and still reside within 40 miles of their original land leases in Pennsylvania. When I was a second grader, our teacher asked the class where we were from. What was our nationality? Everyone had a different answer -- Italian, Irish, German, French, English. When it came my turn, I said I was an American. Not in a proud sort of way. Just matter of fact. I was an American. My teacher seemed perplexed. "Where did your parents and grandparents come from," she asked. They were American, I replied. I felt insignificant somehow that I did not have something special to share with the rest of the class. That I could not connect in my roots with another part of the world.

I later learned that my ancestors fought in the American revolution. One was a ship's captain. And now, I find myself ashamed when Americans use their ancestry to belittle other Americans. To laud it on others that, "We got here first." Historically, we have seen it happen to Spaniards. To Italians. To Irish. To Germans. To Pols. To Chinese. To Japanese. More recently it happens to Russians. To Indians. To Middle Easterners. It is senseless, and I am ashamed that our country can be so blind to itself.

President Bush, I pray that you and our military leaders take all of this into consideration before you act. It would be an understatement to say it cannot be an easy decision to declare war. But I also know that it can take more strength to declare peace. To demonstrate that we have respect for all human life.

War is an act of Man. Peace is an act of God. In my belief, Man and God are the same, but God represents the greater part of ourselves. Yes, please protect us from these terrorist butchers. But please also protect us from our lesser selves.

Most respectfully,
GB, California, USA

[dodger]

Sorry, a bit too schmaltzy for my tastes at this juncture ...

[DSHambone]

I bet GB spent alot of his time in school avoiding bullies! If his Dad was man enough to face evil with a bullet, what happened to GB's generation?

Hey GB - those aren't Indians or Persians or Afganis in your office and neighborhood - they are Americans - and I hope to God (who is not the same as man) that Americans do not run from this fight.

May the President define the War and time of battle, but fight and kill we must to stay free.

[eaglesiniowa]

I notice GB in California offers no solutions as to how he should be protected. Just give peace a chance, but protect me. Don't hurt the bad guys, just protect me. Oh yeah, just put better men than him between him and the bad guys, but just protect me. Get real GB, get some testicles and get into the real world. As for me, I'm calling the Army tomorrow and see if they will revoke my retirement.

[isthisnickcool]

Do you really think that if the President of The United States read this he would learn something? That he would say "gee, GB has come up with all sorts of points I just did not grasp before".

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I have been in a committed and loving relationship myself for 21 years.

Is it me or is this an odd sentence?

[goldstategop]

A leftist U.S Oslo boosterer. Hmmm some people still have not been mugged by reality. I'd say the fellow hasn't seen and heard what happened. Then again its not really news that some leftists are still in a state of denial. You just can't convince some people.

[GhostSoldier]

Is it me or is this an odd sentence?

Its odd for a reason is my guess. Covering for homosexuality or livin' in sin with no marriage certificate.

[GhostSoldier]

A leftist U.S Oslo boosterer. Hmmm some people still have not been mugged by reality. I'd say the fellow hasn't seen and heard what happened. Then again its not really news that some leftists are still in a state of denial. You just can't convince some people.

Send the schmuck down to clean out the 5000+ dead bodies.....after a couple of weeks....tell him to write it again.

[neutrino]

Dear Mr. President:

Terrorists have murdered thousands of American men, women, and children. They aspire to murder more - perhaps millions more. We must excise the terrorist menace as we would remove a cancerous tumor from the body - for the cancer of terrorism will ultimately kill our nation if left untreated.

Your course will not be easy. Many will call for peace in a misguided belief that the enemies of this nation can be placated. They cannot. You must resist these calls, for such an interim peace will lead the terrorists to conclude that the Americans are but sheep, fit only for the slaughter. That there is no consequence to murdering those sheep. That they may do so with impunity.

The eyes of our ancestors are upon us this day. And the judgement of history awaits. Fight, Mr. President, fight for America. And we'll stand beside you to achieve victory!

Most respectfully yours,

Neutrino

Never Forget!

Never Forgive!

Neutrino

[wakeup2]

I value your opinion. I am an arab american. although I have not seen any harrassment I can notice the weird looks. What bothers me the most is how easy the American people fall victims to the media and how the media was very successful in charging the public against the Muslims. I think that the Muslims are being framed in this incident. I just found out that the list of names of hijackers are either dead people who died long time ago or people with arabic names who lost their passports a few years ago. Many of the stories told by the media are not coherent. Followers of the Muslim faith are not supposed to visit night clubs as was reported nor are they supposed to have girl friends of wedlock as was also reported about one of the guys on the list who lived in Germany. Something is not clicking here.

[vannrox]

When I was a teenager I was picked on by many of the other children. It was really hard for me. Many nights I cried and in general, with out dwelling on it, It was very uncomfortable. In short, for five to eight years I was picked on repeatably.

Mostly it was done in ways that was not evident to my parents. Hurtful names and little tricks that got worse and worse. Initially I would try to tell the teachers and my parents, and for the most part, they just ignored my requests.

When I entered tenth grade I started to lift weights, and after a few months become excessively strong. But I still kept to my self and minded my own business. And you know, the other kids still picked on me.

But one day, and I remember it clearly, two of the kids that decided to pick on me went alittle too far. I grabbed his arm and twisted it around his back and applied every ounce of strength to it. Did he hollar and scream! Tears ran down his face. I kept up with it too. The inital teacher in the room asked me to stop, and I said, "No, if I do he'll still pick on me. I have had enough!". Another teacher came, and a bunch of other kids stopped by and soon there was a big croud.

But still I held him in this strong iron grip. With my two hands I was holding him above the floor, and he screamed while he was suspended there. Finally, I got him to agree to leave me alone. At that point I let him down.

After that event, no one... I mean NO-ONE ever ever ever ever ever EVER EVER picked on me again. This enabled me to proceed and live life with my head above the floor and gave me some self confidence that was RETARDED by eight years of constant abuse.

IT has come to the time for us to make this kind of point. Stupid and evil people only understand force. That's all that they understand, and that's how and the only way for us to deliver our message to them.

[IC Ken]

The author should leave liberal California at once. It apparently has taken its toll on his mind.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

That's what I was thinking. Glad to know someone else saw it.

[GhostSoldier]

The information we are receiving is indeed contradictory, confusing and beginning to smell. I also have noticed your points and many others as well. I am very uncomfortable with the story the media is presenting.

[GhostSoldier]

That's what I was thinking

Cheers!

[GhostSoldier]

The author should leave liberal California at once. It apparently has taken its toll on his mind.

You have no idea....!

[LiberalBuster]

We are in a personal war against anyone who shows such disregard for human life. But I profoundly believe that, rather than preventing further atrocities, waging a war of retaliation can only provoke the unnecessary killing of thousands more innocent victims. It will kill innocent families in the Middle East. It will kill innocent American soldiers. And it most likely will bring further killing to our blessed homeland.

I, too, oppose war, but only because it permanently expands government power and permanently reduces freedom. However, some foes understand only one thing - FORCE. You cannot reason or negotiate with religious fanatics who are willing to die in order to kill you. If OBL and his ilk are not stopped, they WILL strike again ... in a worse way. I'm glad Bush is taking his time putting all the ducks in a row ... rather than caving into the pressure of the warmongering reactionaries. When we cut the legs out from under OBL, it had better be more than one leg ... preferably three or four.

[DAGO]

Ya know it is exactly this attitude that got us in this mess to begin with.As an AMERICAN who ever wrote this has a rite to express it's opinion.I bet it voted for Al and Bill and loves Hitlary.I am tired of these washed up 60's pantywaists.The only thing that will satisfy me is a parking lot in the land FORMALLY known as the MIDDLE EAST full of Texaco tanker trucks waiting to be filled with oil from the DEAD TOWELHEADS!!!!!!!!! I SAY CUT THEIR GENITALS OFF,STUFF EM IN THEIR MOUTHS,WRAP EM IN PIGSKIN AND SEND THEM BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES,IF THEY SURVIVE THE WRATH OF GODS COUNTRY!!!!!!! THEY WANT JIHAD..........GIVE EM JIHAD,SEND THEM STRAIGHT TO HELLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DAGO]

I have been in a committed and loving relationship myself for 21 years. Is it me or is this an odd sentence? :ROTFLMFAO!!!!!! I know where you are going with that one!!!!San-fran-sisyco.