Dear Editor:
Going after terrorists with bombs is like trying to catch rats with a bulldozer. From what I understand, Bin Laden’s power base is actually in Saudi Arabia and Egypt (second largest recipient of U.S. military aid). In the unlikely event that they actually catch the guy, I assume there will be a spate of hostage taking retaliation. If we succeed in installing the “Northern Alliance,” we’ll see what kind of enlightened rulers these Heroin warlords end up being. Meanwhile, real opportunities to curtail terrorism are being rapidly squandered.
What I see happening is that the Bush administration is taking advantage of our fear and grief to push through an extreme right wing political agenda. Transferring billions of dollars from the middle class to a wealthy elite by emptying social security into the deep pockets of military contractors and other corporate welfare kings, gutting environmental protections and the bill of rights, expanding the prison industrial complex, instituting secret military tribunals, further concentrating wealth and power into fewer and fewer hands and transforming this country into a military dictatorship. None of which makes us any safer.
A little perspective as far as personal safety goes. Even with all that’s going on right now, you’re probably several thousand times more likely to be killed in a car accident than by a terrorist, or to develop cancer than to contact Anthrax.
As shocked, sickened and saddened as I am by what happened on September 11, and all that has since followed, I cannot sit in silence as my country takes a sharp right turn down a dead end road.
The above portion of this letter was written a couple of months ago, but seeing the letter by Jack Turso has inspired me to finally send it in, with the following additions.
There are alternatives to sacrificing the lives of our young people and the environment. Individually we can start by sacrificing our gas guzzlers for more efficient cars. Or even better, use public transportation. We can also let our government know that rather than bail out the airline industry our money would be better spent on a comprehensive national rail system such as exists in Japan and some parts of Europe.
As far as businesses that put up racist signs, I’ll exercise my rights by not patronizing them, and recommending that others follow suit. The same hate machine that is today turned upon Arabs, could tomorrow be turned upon Jews, African Americans, Japanese, Italians. It wouldn’t be the first time. I would also like to remind Mr. Turso that almost all Americans are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants.
There is nothing unpatriotic about disagreeing with our government policies or opposing racism.
Greg Ribot