political passion
Here's Jake Stewart's letter to the editor in today's Dallas Morning News
Iraq: Enough is enough
Friday marks the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Having completed my four-year tour in the Army in November 2002, I feel compelled to take a moment and write for those soldiers whose voices you might not hear in the news clips.
Over 550 American service men and women have been killed in Iraq and over 3,200 have been seriously injured. We have the finest military in the world, and there is no doubt in my mind that these soldiers will press on and follow their orders. But as a civilian now, I can tell you that true patriotism is not blindly following a political drum to war but rather it is our inherent responsibility to hold politicians accountable for the young lives they send to harm's way.
This was a political war from square one. Though I'm certain this letter will invoke neoconservative responses that question my patriotism or worse, I would humbly ask that we take a moment and step aside from the talk-radio rhetoric to recognize that young soldiers die daily for a political war being deceptively pitched as part of the war on terror.
and here's another email that i received on a similar topic:
"Enough is enough, it's time to stand up for our soldiers and hold this commander in chief accountable.
The link is to the latest piece by William Rivers Pitt. His piece draws the very poignant and very necessary analogies between what has happened in Spain over the last week and what is going on in our country. In two days, the Spanish people staged a loud, strong, but peaceful revolt against a lying, irresponsible government who they, correctly, saw as being soaked in the blood of innocent people. Remember, the United States government is ultimately responsible for this. George Bush and his administration lied their way into a war that can't be won and should never have been fought. Not only is the world no safer because of their actions, it is actually more dangerous. The Spanish people made their revolt in two days. We have just over 8 months. I implore each of you to do anything and everything you can to fuel our own strong, loud and peaceful revolt against the lying, irresponsible dangerous people who have the reins of our country right now. Letters to the editor, e-mails (just like this one) to people, marches, communications with your representatives and senators; the stakes are simply too high, on every front. From the economy, to civil liberties, to equal rights, to the environment, to a continually growing mound of dead bodies, this administration has failed in every way imaginable... Our voices, together, are a deafening roar of freedom, peace and democracy...Please shout loudly and often so that the tragedy in Spain, the debacle in Iraq and the atrocities in our own country can be no more. George Bush needs you to be silent. The rest of the world needs you to scream."
Iraq: Enough is enough
Friday marks the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Having completed my four-year tour in the Army in November 2002, I feel compelled to take a moment and write for those soldiers whose voices you might not hear in the news clips.
Over 550 American service men and women have been killed in Iraq and over 3,200 have been seriously injured. We have the finest military in the world, and there is no doubt in my mind that these soldiers will press on and follow their orders. But as a civilian now, I can tell you that true patriotism is not blindly following a political drum to war but rather it is our inherent responsibility to hold politicians accountable for the young lives they send to harm's way.
This was a political war from square one. Though I'm certain this letter will invoke neoconservative responses that question my patriotism or worse, I would humbly ask that we take a moment and step aside from the talk-radio rhetoric to recognize that young soldiers die daily for a political war being deceptively pitched as part of the war on terror.
and here's another email that i received on a similar topic:
"Enough is enough, it's time to stand up for our soldiers and hold this commander in chief accountable.
The link is to the latest piece by William Rivers Pitt. His piece draws the very poignant and very necessary analogies between what has happened in Spain over the last week and what is going on in our country. In two days, the Spanish people staged a loud, strong, but peaceful revolt against a lying, irresponsible government who they, correctly, saw as being soaked in the blood of innocent people. Remember, the United States government is ultimately responsible for this. George Bush and his administration lied their way into a war that can't be won and should never have been fought. Not only is the world no safer because of their actions, it is actually more dangerous. The Spanish people made their revolt in two days. We have just over 8 months. I implore each of you to do anything and everything you can to fuel our own strong, loud and peaceful revolt against the lying, irresponsible dangerous people who have the reins of our country right now. Letters to the editor, e-mails (just like this one) to people, marches, communications with your representatives and senators; the stakes are simply too high, on every front. From the economy, to civil liberties, to equal rights, to the environment, to a continually growing mound of dead bodies, this administration has failed in every way imaginable... Our voices, together, are a deafening roar of freedom, peace and democracy...Please shout loudly and often so that the tragedy in Spain, the debacle in Iraq and the atrocities in our own country can be no more. George Bush needs you to be silent. The rest of the world needs you to scream."
Labels: Jake Stewart
