There is nothing funny about what is happening to my country. My father believes we are headed down the same road as Nazi Germany did only 70 years ago. I see it, too.
It breaks my heart to believe that roughly half the people I encounter each day believe that might makes right, that outright carnage will somehow lead to peace, and that the United States, after little more than 200 years experience has somehow achieved enough wisdom to rule the world.
There seem to be two kinds of people in America at this time; those who feel the ends justify the means and the idealists. Those who are pleased to see strength and resolve, and those who are horrified. Count me on the side of the idealists.
I am mystified by the motives of those who support such a brutal regime. I find myself obsessed with the need to understand. “What can they be thinking?” I keep asking myself.
My guess is that they are thinking we have a great life here – let’s keep it that way. That this is the greatest country in the world. That god loves us or he wouldn’t have given us all this wonderful stuff. That the TV wouldn’t lie, and that supporting the president makes us good patriots. America, love it or leave it.
My guess is that they really don’t want to think bad thoughts or make waves. That the easiest thing is to go along and believe the best of our leaders. How can liberating Iraq be a bad thing? What about those poor women there? Aren’t they better off now? Won’t they all be voting for democracy soon? Certainly, Mr. Bush has the best interests of everyone in mind.
My guess is they are thinking that we have no choice. That our national security depends on making a strong statement. That those 100,000 dead civilians are an unfortunate accident, or that many of those deaths are not our fault, or even, that the newspapers made this number up.
And that if we don’t get them, they are surely going to get us. God Bless America.
