Endless war
The 3 a.m. sign theft, amid squealing brakes, running footsteps and slamming car doors, followed an earlier conversational confrontation with a young Iraq war veteran. Regretfully, my considered choice of quotes: “The true pioneers of a warless world are the youth who refuse to fight,” (Einstein) and “An unnecessary war is a waste of heroes,” (Florida teen-ager), caused angry, hurt feelings instead of the intended reflection and keeping neighboring youth from harm by serving in an illegal war protested now even by many returning patriotic veterans.
During recent, widely unreported “winter soldier” events, many apologized, claimed they were “not the monster I once was,” and wondered why this war was fought.
Hard truth, buddies dying for dubious cause. Before “shock and awe,” millions protested. The uninformed believe we are fighting for democracy (or Sept. 11) in Iraq. Democracy requires dissent without dangerous retaliation and an informed citizenry.
Some reporters still investigate. Web sites (truthout.org, whatreallyhappened.com, ifamericansknew.org, newsfromunderground and democracynow.org) enlighten.
Do you know that Israel has 200 U.S.-financed nuclear weapons, that it broke the prior successful cease-fire (not Palestine) and has long held a medieval siege vs. Gaza? Do you know how much money AIPAC donates to Congress, and that suicide is the No. 1 killer in the Israeli army and that 18 U.S. veterans commit suicide daily?
We cannot afford endless war financially or morally.
Lynn Bradbury
Lubec
···
Turn on headlights
The discussion in the Bangor Daily News about driving while elderly has not led to many suggestions that might diminish “road risk.” As a senior member of this community who resides on a very busy street, I have found those vehicles that do not have lights on when visibility is reduced due to rain, fog, dusk or other inclement conditions cause safe entrance onto the street from my driveway to be more difficult. I believe there is a law that requires headlights to be on when windshield wipers are on, but this requirement often is not met. I wonder if nonpunitive education regarding this rule would help.
William J. Deering
Bangor
···
Bush’s legacy
Tom Coleman (BDN letters, Jan. 11) seems to be out of touch with reality when he claims that George W. Bush was a godsend.
It has been eight years since Bush came to office in a dark cloud of a shady political motivated Supreme Court decision coupled with ballot fraud in Florida, and in all those years his administration has been a complete failure due to his practice of voodoo economics which has caused reckless spending, disastrous deficits and an exploding debt that has sped this country into the present wrecked economy.
On top of this Bush has discredited this country’s good name with illegal wiretapping, the elimination of habeas corpus, the introduction of torture and the lies used to lead us into the war in Iraq. Remember the bogus Iraq uranium claim and the threat posed by Iraqi weapons of mass destruction which has yet to be confirmed? This kind of shoddy duplicity will be Bush’s chief legacy.
Dee C. Brown Jr.
Bangor
···
Stop Afghanistan war
It’s easy to understand the euphoria that surrounds the ascension of Barack Obama to the office of president. After eight years of George W. Bush, we finally can place our trust in someone who has the intellectual capacity, the energy and the will to resolve our domestic problems and restore our position as a respected world leader. We can face the future with optimism that in the years ahead we will rebuild our economy and achieve progress in health care, race relations, education, reduction of poverty and care of the environment.
What a paradox that, in spite of all the promise he offers, President Obama already has declared his intention to lead us further into war. While calling for withdrawal from Iraq within 16 months, he has clearly stated his intention to double our forces in Afghanistan. In the name of fighting terrorism will we create for the civilians of Afghanistan the same terrors that were inflicted on the people if Iraq? Will Afghans see their homes destroyed and services disappear? Will post-traumatic stress syndrome become a common condition of young children? Will hundreds of thousands be killed or forced into exile?
The United States government, with the tacit support of the American people, has over the past six years committed enormous crimes against humanity. If we let this happen again, the evil that we do will far surpass all the good that can come out of what we accomplish here at home. We should expect something better from a man like Barack Obama, and if we truly believe in democracy, we should expect something better from ourselves.
Fran Pratt
Pittsfield
···
Film fare in Bangor
I join Christopher Smith in his frustration regarding the lack of movie choices in the Bangor area. I have been to Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville countless times to see wonderful films; many times I have seen other Bangor-area residents there as well. However, I would like to comment on Smith’s Rewind column from Friday, Jan. 23.
While it is true that I am patiently waiting for “Milk,” “The Reader” and other films mentioned by Smith that haven’t come this far north, one film on this list has — “Rachel Getting Married.” It was showing several weeks ago at Movie Magic Cinemas on Odlin Road. This movie house showcases many second-run films after Bangor Mall Cinemas Ten’s first run, but also included is one independent and sometimes first-run movie each week (this week don’t miss “Doubt”).
It stands to reason that if more people frequent this establishment and purchase tickets for these films, fewer area residents will be flocking to Waterville.
Bev Wilson
Hampden
···
Fairness doctrine needed
Only hours after the inauguration of Barack Obama as America’s 44th president, Fox “Republican” News and right wing radio propagandists were busy reframing the day into an unrecognizable, anti-American mess.
Americans unfortunately have short memories concerning organized Republican efforts to propagandize the political process, dating back to Richard Nixon, who clearly stated the value of skewing information to split apart coalitions for political gain. Not many Americans realize that during the 1988 election, the Willie Horton advertisement about a “furloughed” murderer tied to the policies of Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis while governor of Massachusetts, actually related more to Ronald Reagan than Dukakis.
The fact is that though Republicans smeared Dukakis as “soft on crime” with the effective Horton advertisement that gave George H.W. Bush the lead for good, the Massachusetts prison furlough policy upon which Republicans based their attack actually was modeled after a California Department of Corrections program created when Ronald Reagan was governor of that state.
Fast forward to the North Carolina primaries in 2000 when George W. Bush was battling John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination. Fliers flooded that state accusing McCain of various unsavory activities, even suggesting he sired a daughter out of wedlock. The Bush campaign denied responsibility.
Bush took office only to mislead America into an unnecessary and costly war in Iraq, then “Swift Boated” John Kerry in 2004.
The pattern of ongoing Republican deceit must be more clearly revealed if America is to recover. A Fairness Doctrine is sorely needed.
Mark Tardif
Waterville
···
Downsize Legislature
I would like to thank Rep. Patrick Flood for being one of the few people in Augusta to stand up and suggest that the Legislature be downsized. If the people and businesses of this state are going to tighten their belts, then the Legislature should do the same.
There is no need of a state with a little over 1.2 million people having such a large legislative body. His idea to limit the number of bills each representative can submit is also good. Limiting bills should help shorten the number of days the Legislature meets and would help to get only the most important issues on the table.
This state needs more members like Rep. Flood.
Wayne Kimball
Chester