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Flame » in reply to On apathy and passion

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Robert — (archived)

Utter self-serving nonsense.

Americans will always fight to defend themselves, their famlies, and their country against a tangible threat.

It's all too reminiscent of Vietnam and a war based on the abstract "domino theory". We're being asked to fight in Iraq on the basis of the jingoistic, fearmongering assertion that "if we don't fight them there we'll fight them here", which is just one among many abstractions. Another is weirdly like a reverse domino theory: Set up a Western-style democracy in one country and the dominos will stand up all across the Middle East.

We're being asked to fight a war based on the simple-minded theories of a man who has lost all credibility with the American people. People fight not only against, they fight for, and they fight to support a leader they believe in. We've judged that Bush's theories are not worth fighting for, and that Bush is a leader not worth following.

If I'm aboard an airplane taken over by a hijacker, I'll assume that I'm face-to-face with a terrorist, and I will fight to the death.

If I become aware of likely terrorist activities, I'd notify the authorities if there's time, but if there isn't, I'll confront it myself. If I encounter a terrorist holding a deadman's switch attached to an explosive device, I'll grab his hand and hold down the button while he beats me to death. And I'll expect that behind me is someone else willing to take my place when I no longer have the strength to clench my fist.

I'm not terrified of dying in a terrorist attack. I'm an American, and I don't expect others to take all the risks so I can sit here fat dumb and happy. An American soldier is willing to take a bullet for me. I cannot morally refuse to accept risk. Demanding security at any price is cowardice.

3,000 American soldiers dead to make me theoretically safer is an immoral bargain. Refusing to be frightened by fearmongering is not cowardice.

Unlike you, Tom, I trust my fellow Americans to do the right thing when the chips are down. What I do not trust is George Bush and his lieutenants and political cronies. We've learned to our pain that the fight they tell us to fight is the wrong one.

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