El Doctorow Piece
El Doctorow
eloquently says what so many of us feel. We need to mobilize and use
our minds and our strength to take back this country.
Jen
Edgar Lawrence Doctorow occupies a central position in the history of
>American literature. He is generally considered to be among the most
>talented, ambitious, and admired novelists of the second half of the
>twentieth century. Doctorow has received the National Book Award, two
>National Book Critics Circle Awards, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Edith
>Wharton Citation for Fiction, the William Dean Howell Medal of the
>American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the residentially conferred
>National
>Humanities Medal.
>
>Doctorow was born in New York City on January 6, 1931. After graduating
>with
>honors from Kenyon College in 1952, he did graduate work at Columbia
>University and served in the U.S. Army. Doctorow was senior editor for New
>American Library from 1959 to 1964 and then served as editor in chief at
>Dial Press until 1969. Since then, he has devoted his time to writing and
>teaching. He holds the Glucksman Chair in American Letters at New York
>University and over the years has taught at several institutions, including
>Yale University Drama School, Princeton University, Sarah Lawrence College,
>and the University of California, Irvine.
>
>
> =====================================================================
>
>I fault this president (George W. Bush) for not knowing what death is. He
>does not suffer the death of our twenty-one year olds who wanted to be what
>they could be.
>
>On the eve of D-day in 1944 General Eisenhower prayed to God for the lives
>of the young soldiers he knew were going to die. He knew what death was.
>Even in a justifiable war, a war not of choice but of necessity, a war of
>survival, the cost was almost more than Eisenhower could bear.
>
>But this president does not know what death is. He hasn't the mind for it.
>You see him joking with the press, peering under the table for the WMDs he
>can't seem to find, you see him at rallies strutting up to the stage in
>shirt sleeves to the roar of the carefully screened crowd, smiling and
>waving, triumphal, a he-man. He does not mourn. He doesn't understand why
>he should mourn. He is satisfied during the course of a speech written for
>him to look solemn for a moment and speak of the brave young Americans who
>made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
>
>But you study him, you look into his eyes and know he dissembles an emotion
>which he does not feel in the depths of his being because he has no
>capacity
>for it. He does not feel a personal responsibility for the thousand dead
>young men and women who wanted to be what they could be.
>
>They come to his desk not as youngsters with mothers and fathers or wives
>and children who will suffer to the end of their days a terribly torn
>fabric
>of familial relationships and the inconsolable remembrance of aborted
>life.... They come to his desk as a political liability which is why the
>press is not permitted to photograph the arrival of their coffins from
>Iraq.
>
>How then can he mourn? To mourn is to express regret and he regrets
>nothing.
>He does not regret that his reason for going to war was, as he knew,
>unsubstantiated by the facts. He does not regret that his bungled plan for
>the war's aftermath has made of his mission-accomplished a disaster. He
>does
>not regret that rather than controlling terrorism his war in Iraq has
>licensed it.
>
>So he never mourns for the dead and crippled youngsters who have fought
>this war of his choice. He wanted to go to war and he did. He had not the
>mind to perceive the costs of war, or to listen to those who knew those
>costs. He did not understand that you do not go to war when it is one of
>the
>options, but when it is the only option; you go not because you want to but
>because you have to.
>
>This president knew it would be difficult for Americans not to cheer the
>overthrow of a foreign dictator. He knew that much. This president and his
>supporters would seem to have a mind for only one thing --- to take power,
>to remain in power, and to use that power for the sake of themselves and
>their friends. A war will do that as well as anything. You become a
>wartime leader. The country gets behind you. Dissent becomes inappropriate.
>And so he does not drop to his knees, he is not contrite, he does not sit
>in
>the church with the grieving parents and wives and children.
>
>He is the President who does not feel. He does not feel for the families of
>the dead; he does not feel for the thirty five million of us who live in
>poverty; he does not feel for the forty percent who cannot afford health
>insurance; he does not feel for the miners whose lungs are turning black or
>for the working people he has deprived of the chance to work overtime at
>time-and-a-half to pay their bills --- it is amazing for how many people
>in
>this country this President does not feel.
>
>But he will dissemble feeling. He will say in all sincerity he is relieving
>the wealthiest one percent of the population of their tax burden for the
>sake of the rest of us, and that he is polluting the air we breathe for the
>sake of our economy, and that he is decreasing the safety regulations for
>coal mines to save the coal miners' jobs, and that he is depriving workers
>of their time-and-a- half benefits for overtime because this is actually a
>way to honor them by raising them into the professional class.
>
>And this litany of lies he will versify with reverences for God and the
>flag
>and democracy, when just what he and his party are doing to our democracy
>is
>choking the life out of it.
>
>But there is one more terribly sad thing about all of this. I remember the
>millions of people here and around the world who marched against the war.
>It
>was extraordinary, that spontaneously aroused oversoul of alarm and protest
>that transcended national borders. Why did it happen? After all, this was
>not the only war anyone had ever seen coming. There are little wars all
>over
>the world most of the time.
>
>But the cry of protest was the appalled understanding of millions of people
>that America was ceding its role as the last best hope of mankind. It was
>their perception that the classic archetype of democracy was morphing into
>a
>rogue nation. The greatest democratic republic in history was turning its
>back on the future, using its extraordinary power and standing not to
>advance the ideal of a concordance of civilizations but to endorse the kind
>of tribal combat that originated with the Neanderthals, a people, now
>extinct, who could imagine ensuring their survival by no other means than
>pre-emptive war.
>
>The president we get is the country we get. With each president the nation
>is conformed spiritually. He is the artificer of our malleable national
>soul. He proposes not only the laws but the kinds of lawlessness that
>govern
>our lives and invoke our responses. The people he appoints are cast in his
>image. The trouble they get into and get us into, is his characteristic
>trouble.
>
>Finally the media amplify his character into our moral weather report. He
>becomes the face of our sky, the conditions that prevail: How can we
>sustain
>ourselves as the United States of America given the stupid and ineffective
>warmaking, the constitutionally insensitive lawgiving, and the monarchal
>economics of this president? He cannot mourn but is a figure of such moral
>vacancy as to make us mourn for ourselves.
>
>E.L. Doctorow
>
>

THOUGHTS ON THE WAR
Mood:  down
The thing that really scares me about all of this, and I have read
alot here is that we are not fighting a COUNTRY OR NATION. People
don't seem to understand that fact. They are blinded and think they
are back into the world wars. This is not confined to any area. This
is world wide and can lead to a world war. When you speak to these
people they look at you as if you are out of your mind. The concept of
a whole race of people that have been trained since they were young
and tormented and tortured to do as they are told doesn't sink into
these peoples minds. NOt all people are bad people. I can agree with
that, but I can also agree that many of them that hate what is being
done are afraid to speak up because of retaliation from their own
people. This is a hard decision for them to make and if they are
married with a wife and children, it makes it harder for them to stand
up and protest the way their fellow men are acting and the astrosities
they are doing. How many of these muslums blow themselves up because
their families are threatened by death or torture? We don't know that
all of these people do the things they are doing because they really
want to do we? In this day and age I can't believe that all muslums
are to be put in the same catagory as the ones that are militant. I
would like to see all the people of the world get together and try to
end the maddness that is going on now, but I don't think that will
happen until all have had enough. Wake them up and shake them a bit.
Most aren't even paying attention. It is a tv war to them and that is
the sad thing here. I sit and listen everyday to some of them talk and
they have no feelings for what is happening so "far away" they say"as
long as it isnt here." But it is here I tell them, and it isn't going
away by itself. Until the ignorant and arrogant people wake up I can't
see any peace in the near future. Tv had demoralized war and made it
into a GAME. The younger people play these games and are becoming
unfeeling and less caring. They see the news and to them it is a game.
No game gentlemen. lets start with teaching some of these kids too
about war and killing and how terrible it is. Not that if they kill a
policeman they get extra points.It is appalling what is being done
with our own childrens minds right under our own noses. Parents buy
these violent games for them and they are being BRAINWASHED too. More
points for every sholdier you kill? Evey civilian gets you more. I
feel alot of what is going on is because we do support Israel so much
too. But that is another topic for another day.

Major Vernon Chong, USAF ret.
With what happened in London a few days ago, consider this, when you have the time to really read it: ----- Major General Vernon Chong, USAF ret

This WAR is for REAL

To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII).

The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means.

First, let's examine a few basics:

1. When did the threat to us start?

Many will say September 11th, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:

Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983; Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; First New York World Trade Center attack 1993; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998; Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; New York World Trade Center 2001; Pentagon 2001.

(Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).

2. Why were we attacked?

Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocation's by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter.

3. Who were the attackers?

In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims.

4. What is the Muslim population of the World? 25%.

5. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful?

Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, but under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who was also Christian), that made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons (including 7,000 Polish priests). (see http://www.nazis.testimony.co.uk/7-a.htm).

Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the six million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others.

Same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way -- their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else. The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing -- by their own pronouncements -- killing all of us "infidels." I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die?

6. So who are we at war with?

There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting.

So with that background, now to the two major questions:

1. Can we lose this war?

2. What does losing really mean?

If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions.

We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question - What does losing mean?

It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get. What losing really means is:

We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us, over the past 18 years. The plan was clearly, for terrorist to attack us, until we were neutered and submissive to them.

We would of course have no future support from other nations, for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see, we are impotent and cannot help them.

They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do will be done. Spain is finished.

The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast!

If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us, if they were threatened by the Muslims.

If we can't stop the Muslims, how could anyone else?

The Muslims fully know what is riding on this war, and therefore are completely committed to winning, at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost.

Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing? Simple. Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win.

So, how can we lose the war?

Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by "imploding." That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose, and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win!

Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation.

President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation.

Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously? This is war! For the duration, we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently.

And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WWII, and immediately restored them after the victory and in fact added many more since then.

Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him?

No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness, and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head.

Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose.. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening. It concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause.

Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war, perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying.

We have recently had an issue, involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war, by a small group of our military police.

These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein.

And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type enemy fighters, who recently were burning Americans, and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq.

And still more recently, the same type enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of American prisoners they held.

Compare this with some of our press and politicians, who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners -- not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them.

Can this be for real?

The politicians and pundits have even talked of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense.

If this doesn't show the complete lack of comprehension and understanding of the seriousness of the enemy we are fighting, the life and death struggle we are in and the disastrous results of losing this war, nothing can.

To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned -- totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world.

Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife.

Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude, of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us, for many years.

Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels! That translates into all non-Muslims -- not just in the United States, but throughout the world.

We are the last bastion of defense.

We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant.' That charge is valid in at least one respect. We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world!

We can't!

If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the World will survive if we are defeated.

And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone -- let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world.

This has been a long way of saying that we must be united on this war or we will be equated in the history books to the self-inflicted fall of the Roman Empire. If, that is, the Muslim leaders will allow history books to be written or read.

If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little, on the established French traditions. The French will be fighting among themselves, over what should or should not be done, which will continue to weaken them and keep them from any united resolve. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar?

Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece.

And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power.

They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the "peaceful Muslims"?

I close on a hopeful note, by repeating what I said above. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. I hope now after the election, the factions in our country will begin to focus on the critical situation we are in, and will unite to save our country. It is your future we are talking about! Do whatever you can to preserve it.

After reading the above, we all must do this not only for ourselves, but our children, our grandchildren, our country and the world.

Whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal and that includes the Politicians and media of our country and the free world!

Please forward this to any you feel may want, or NEED to read it. Our "leaders" in Congress ought to read it, too.

There are those that find fault with our country, but it is obvious to anyone who truly thinks through this, that we must UNITE!

....................
Comment I thank General Chong for forwarding this most appropriate and timely writing. I certainly concur with the writer on the necessity for standing up and uniting as peace loving American citizens. This country was founded by our forbears fleeing religious persecution. I do not care what religion anyone in this country chooses to practice as long as it does not advocate the overthrow of our government or the slaughter of people who do not choose to practice a religion that opposes the spread of democracy because of the choice it gives people to live in freedom. The fastest road to peace is to ensure a free world. "Speak softly and carry a BIG stick".

Maj. /Vernon Chong, USAF retired
With what happened in London a few days ago, consider this, when you have the time to really read it: ----- Major General Vernon Chong, USAF ret

This WAR is for REAL

To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII).

The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means.

First, let's examine a few basics:

1. When did the threat to us start?

Many will say September 11th, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:

Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983; Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; First New York World Trade Center attack 1993; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998; Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; New York World Trade Center 2001; Pentagon 2001.

(Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).

2. Why were we attacked?

Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocation's by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter.

3. Who were the attackers?

In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims.

4. What is the Muslim population of the World? 25%.

5. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful?

Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, but under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who was also Christian), that made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons (including 7,000 Polish priests). (see http://www.nazis.testimony.co.uk/7-a.htm).

Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the six million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others.

Same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way -- their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else. The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing -- by their own pronouncements -- killing all of us "infidels." I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die?

6. So who are we at war with?

There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting.

So with that background, now to the two major questions:

1. Can we lose this war?

2. What does losing really mean?

If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions.

We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question - What does losing mean?

It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get. What losing really means is:

We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us, over the past 18 years. The plan was clearly, for terrorist to attack us, until we were neutered and submissive to them.

We would of course have no future support from other nations, for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see, we are impotent and cannot help them.

They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do will be done. Spain is finished.

The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast!

If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us, if they were threatened by the Muslims.

If we can't stop the Muslims, how could anyone else?

The Muslims fully know what is riding on this war, and therefore are completely committed to winning, at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost.

Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing? Simple. Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win.

So, how can we lose the war?

Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by "imploding." That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose, and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win!

Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation.

President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation.

Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously? This is war! For the duration, we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently.

And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WWII, and immediately restored them after the victory and in fact added many more since then.

Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him?

No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness, and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head.

Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose.. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening. It concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause.

Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war, perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying.

We have recently had an issue, involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war, by a small group of our military police.

These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein.

And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type enemy fighters, who recently were burning Americans, and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq.

And still more recently, the same type enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of American prisoners they held.

Compare this with some of our press and politicians, who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners -- not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them.

Can this be for real?

The politicians and pundits have even talked of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense.

If this doesn't show the complete lack of comprehension and understanding of the seriousness of the enemy we are fighting, the life and death struggle we are in and the disastrous results of losing this war, nothing can.

To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned -- totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world.

Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife.

Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude, of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us, for many years.

Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels! That translates into all non-Muslims -- not just in the United States, but throughout the world.

We are the last bastion of defense.

We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant.' That charge is valid in at least one respect. We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world!

We can't!

If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the World will survive if we are defeated.

And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone -- let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the world.

This has been a long way of saying that we must be united on this war or we will be equated in the history books to the self-inflicted fall of the Roman Empire. If, that is, the Muslim leaders will allow history books to be written or read.

If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little, on the established French traditions. The French will be fighting among themselves, over what should or should not be done, which will continue to weaken them and keep them from any united resolve. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar?

Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece.

And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power.

They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the "peaceful Muslims"?

I close on a hopeful note, by repeating what I said above. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. I hope now after the election, the factions in our country will begin to focus on the critical situation we are in, and will unite to save our country. It is your future we are talking about! Do whatever you can to preserve it.

After reading the above, we all must do this not only for ourselves, but our children, our grandchildren, our country and the world.

Whether Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal and that includes the Politicians and media of our country and the free world!

Please forward this to any you feel may want, or NEED to read it. Our "leaders" in Congress ought to read it, too.

There are those that find fault with our country, but it is obvious to anyone who truly thinks through this, that we must UNITE!

....................
Comment I thank General Chong for forwarding this most appropriate and timely writing. I certainly concur with the writer on the necessity for standing up and uniting as peace loving American citizens. This country was founded by our forbears fleeing religious persecution. I do not care what religion anyone in this country chooses to practice as long as it does not advocate the overthrow of our government or the slaughter of people who do not choose to practice a religion that opposes the spread of democracy because of the choice it gives people to live in freedom. The fastest road to peace is to ensure a free world. "Speak softly and carry a BIG stick".

Time to Wake up and do something
Terrorists Bombings

it is time that the Arabs start taking care of these mad men that are killing their own people as well as innocent people for no reason other than that they are not of their religion. It has gone beyond religion now. It has become a fanatic uprising of people who have no respect for life and don't care if they kill their own people . To indiscrimiately place bombs and kill any and all people that are not involved in anything other than making a living for their families or trying to enjoy a well earned vacation has to be the work of people that have absolutely no conscience and don't care about anyone or anything. Look at the last bombing of London. Their was one man that died because he took a bomb aboard the train and he had a wife and a small baby. What normal man would do such a thing? How many wives with babies were on that train that he bombed? This is not a war against countries it is a religious war like they had in the crusades. Fanatics running amoke in all countries. This isn't a war confined to one country and its people. This is an uprising that takes in all the world as we know it.Many educated and professional men and women are involved in these bombings. Many of these religious people send money to the terrorists so that they can purchase the materials to do all this damage and destruction. Who do you trust and who don't you trust? Will we have to have everyone searched before they take a bus or train in every country of the world? Has it come down to this way of living? Everyone will be afraid to go and do anything. Except for the terrorists. If some of their own people would come forward and report where they are and who they are it would help all the countries to stop this insanity. These are just my humble opinions. I love all people and this is so distressing to read the paper and hear the news about these bombings and these innocent people being killed. Does it have to come to your back door before something will be done? Does tv make it seem to impersonal and so if you can't be there or see it than it is ok? War is war, and terrorism is terrorism whether you are there or watching it on a tv set or hereing it on a radio. It affects us all IF they continue to get away with this there will be no one left to blow up. I was upset and very angry when I saw on the news the soldier that was shot and heard the arabic man speaking as he made his training film for future terrorist to view and learn from. We must get together and we must start joining and stopping all this madness.

AWARESNESS
Do you really think you can feel my pain?
As I struggle to regain my health
Can you feel my strenght leaving me
When I try over and over not to strain?
Do you know that without my courage
This would not be anything to gain?
I fight everyday for a stronger body
Will I beable to make it up from my bed?
Or will I once again be a prisoner here instead?
Awareness sometimes insn't a good thing
If you are going to suffer like another human being
Take it from me my friend, don't wish to be aware
Of all that suffering and pain out there
I know from experience how pain feels
And I know how much I have had to deal
So it is a nice thought that you have their in your heart
But of my painful world you dont want any part
Would you like not being to walk a mile
Without a brace on your leg
Everyday is a new trial
Will I win today or not can't you see
I don't want you to be that aware of me
I want someone to come and bring me a smile
So that I can forget my pain for awhile
Don't look to share anothers infimatives
Instead be a friend and don't shy away from them
So many people think that a brace or a wheelchair
Makes the person in them dumb and deaf as they sit there
Treat them as you would your best friend
Make them have a good day and be able to smile again
Why do people think that if a person is missing a limb
Can't be a great friend and have some fun with them?
So many times when I am in my chair
I have to have help from someone to be wheeled from here to there
People turn their heads and look away
Why ? Are they afraid that I may ask them to help me one day
I don't need any help thank you very much
I will not let anyone make me feel
like I am something to be shamed
I know in my heart that I will not always be lame
So watch what you wish for becareful what you think
Because you don't know how much it would take you to the brink
I am strong and I am sure that one day I will be well
and then I will have many happy stories to tell
So be careful what you want to become aware of my friend
You may find that the pain you may not be able to withstand
I hear this from people everyday when I am out and about
They tell me how lucky I am that I am alive and I want to shout
I know I am alive and I don't have any intention of leaving this earth
I can feel in my soul and heart that there will be a rebirth
My limbs will strengthen and I will once again be able to stand
Then I will be a welcome part in society once again
I deserve to be treated like everyone else that is whole
I will not tolerate being told that I can't do certain things
I am just as good as you are my fellow human beings
So if you really want to become aware of all that is out there
Begin with that lonely person sitting in that wheelchair

conmplacent no way
I will never be complacent as long as their is injustice and I feel that somethings are not right in this country. Especially if I feel that they are lying and I can bring that to the attention of some of the people and make them wake up and think and help to do what is in the interest of the whole country. There are too many people that unaware of what is going on in this country and others around the world. They don't realize that all of us, (all countries) affect the others. Some of the people feel that if it is not happening here that it will not affect us, but in the long run, somewhere down the road it all leads back to everyone. I am totaly amazed by the people that don't care what is going on in this world and act as thought we are the only country on this planet of ours. If these masses are told the truth and helped to understand the seriousness of some of the problems we are facing now there might not be a world left for them to live in. I have found out through conversations with groups of people that some don't even realize that we are not the only country that has nuclear weapons and are not as worried about using them against aggressers as we are. This to me is a very scary scenerio. I don't feel comfortable when treats are made to these countries and they say if they are invaded in any way that they will use nuclear weapons. The people I talked to didn't even know that these countries were capable of doing this very thing. I hope that I opened a few eyes and ears to the possibilites that are out there. I have a few sites that I am also going to put here that I feel will interest you and I hope that you and others that read this thread will go there and read and see what you feel about what is written there. I have not finished reading the sites as I just got them in the letstalk chat last night so I don't know all that is in there.

http://goldpointclub.com/Mandrake.htm

htpp://members.aol./_ht_a/CAFR1/cafr.html

These were given to us because one of the group felt it was revelent to our discussion and as you will see they are quite lengthy and so I didn't get the chance to read all because as founder I was in charge of running the discussion. I did skim over them a bit as we were talking as I have the ability to speed read, but as I said they are lengthy and will take time to really read them and see what they are expressing .

Carefully watch your THOUGHTS, for they become your WORDS.

Manage and watch your WORDS, for they will become your ACTIONS.

Consider and judge your ACTIONS, for they have become your HABITS.

Acknowledge and watch your HABITS, for they shall become your VALUES.

Understand and embrace your VALUES, for they become YOUR DESTINY."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

BELIEF OR FACT
The following message was posted to your Group, "The Velvet Pen.."

There comes a time in your life when you have to take time to think before you open your mouth and say a foolish thing be very careful how you answer questions asked and always listen carefully so that you get all the facts. here is the magic word then: facts be careful not to mix the two up beliefs are not founded on fact, so be careful how you react If it cant be proven it is a belief and there are those that will agrue over that but always remember that if it can be proven beyond a doubt then it is a fact when you are thinking of voting and putting someone in office to represent you take all the time you need to think about the person you chose they will be there for a few years and in charge of the laws that will govern all of us lets be very choosey who we pick to give our trust Keep your eyes and ears open and question anything that bothers you you have that constitional right too dont let anyone change what you feel is right dont ever lose your values and put them out of sight We have all got to work as a team If we all want to share the American dream

THINK ABOUT THIS ONE AND PASS IT ONE

Think About this One! A car company can move its factories to Mexico and
claim it's a free market. A toy company can out source to a Chinese
subcontractor and claim it's a free market. A major bank can incorporate
in Bermuda to avoid taxes and claim it's a free market. We can buy HP
Printers made in Mexico. We can buy shirts made in Bangladesh. We can
purchase almost anything we want from 20 different countries. BUT, heaven
help the elderly who dare to buy their prescription drugs from a Canadian
pharmacy. That's called un-American! And you think the pharmaceutical
companies don't have a powerful lobby? Think again! Please forward this
to any person you know over age 50. It is an interesting point of view
Maybe this is an issue that should come up in the next election! Forget
the 50, send it to family and friends. We're all in this boat together