Courage into belligerence

Dear George:

I grew up in a small Wyoming town in a conservative Republican family. As a child I learned that our leaders were patriotic and honest and that I would always be able to rely upon them to protect me and mine. President Reagan was the epitome of this sort of leader. I am 57 years old now, and through the years, I have continued to believe these things about our leaders...until very recently.

The changes I witnessed were not clear at first but become much more visible as time went on. They began with the obviously partisan persecution of a sitting president at the time, President Clinton, and I was stunned at the viciousness of the attacks. This was then followed by the Florida high jacking of democracy in the vote count of your presidential election. From that time on I have witnessed one lie after another...one deception after another...Weapons of mass destruction that did not exist...Iraq as a bed of terrorism...deception about your military record... record...awarding unbid contracts to Halliburton for the war...and recently your passive involvement in another obviously partisan attempt to destroy the reputation of a Viet Nam war hero who shed blood for his country...the list goes on and on.

It now appears to me that those people in this county (with you as their leader)who identify as evangelical Christians have somehow made the decision that no lie or duplicity is too big, no act of immorality is too heinous, as long as it is made in the advancement of the ultra conservative agenda. I have one question to ask you, Sir...You have stated over and over again that you will protect us and keep America free. Why then in the past 6 years have I come to fear you and yours more than I fear our enemies from outside? Why do I lie awake at night and anguish over what is becoming of truth and freedom in America? Why do I fear that democracy as we have known it, loved it, and died for it is coming to an end?

History, I think, will judge you harshly because your in your zeal to restructure America into what you must believe is a moral, God fearing nation, your enthusiasm has changed into arrogance, your courage into belligerence, and your idea of brotherhood into fundamentalist oppression. I keep hoping and waiting for some sort of sign from you that you are more than just the steely eyes and firm jaw of self righteousness that I see every time you speak. What has happened to your sense of humanity and truth?

I will continue to pray for you, Sir, and I will pray for this nation.

Richard
Age 57
Denver, CO