Write for your children, history, life.
My son was 6 years old when the Iraq war started. I had been keeping a journal for my son since his birth to record the mile stones of his growth and development. As I was filled with anger at being called un-American because I didn’t support the Iraq war, I felt compelled to write to him about my position.
Aftermath of invasion and criticism
The political march to war was disgusting but it didn’t impact me that much. It wasn’t until all the lies, graft and abuse surrounding the invasion and war surfaced and Republicans had to find someone to blame for the bad press that the guilt trip started. The President’s men aimed his message of “If you are not with us, you are against us” to attack Americans that were questioning the wisdom of the Iraq war.
My entry in my son’s journal
December 5, 2005
I am tired of being called unpatriotic, un American and stupid by the President, vice President, White House officials, congressmen, radio talk show hosts and newspaper editorial writers. Just because I am a liberal democrat does not mean I do not love my country and cherish my freedoms. My patriotism is being called into question because of my beliefs and not my actions.
I opposed the Iraq war from the beginning. I wrote letters to my senators urging them to vote no. I want the troops to come home. But the right-wing neo-cons call me unpatriotic and stupid. I am not the one who stood on an aircraft carrier and said “Mission Accomplished”. I am not the one who has gone through three or four main excuses for going to war: 1st: weapons of mass destruction, 2nd: get Saddam Hussein, 3rd: war on terrorist, 4th: spread democracy. When will the excuses stop. I am called unpatriotic for questioning the President and his men and women on the wisdom of the continuing war. Is it patriotic to humiliate and torture prisoners in Abu Ghraib? Is it patriotic to scam Iraqi rebuilding money for personal gain? Is it patriotic to plant stories in Iraqi newspapers. My beliefs have hurt no one but the actions of the White House have hurt tens of thousands. Still, I am the stupid un-American liberal democrat.
The neo-conservatives turn a blind eye to the failings of their own members. Where is the patriotism of Scooter Libby leaking a CIA agents name and then lying under oath? Where is the patriotism of Tom Delays indictment for money laundering? Where is the patriotism of the San Diego congressman taking bribes from defense contractors? Where is the patriotism of Jack Abramhoff in bilking Indian tribes to bribe congressman? But I am still a bad person for questioning the administration about the war and other domestic issues.
Hell I look more like a republican than most of the conservative talk show hosts and columnists. I am married with one child who attends public schools. We attend church regularly, pray, read the bible and I teach Sunday school. But I am some sort of heathen because I see no use for the words “under God” in the pledge of Allegiance. God belongs in my heart, in my home and at my church not at my public school. I am portrayed as wanting to tear God out of America. I am not the radio and TV host that whispered porno-talk to an employee. I am not the radio host who that had an illegal addiction to pain relieving drugs. I am not the conservative writer who said that crime would be lower if black baby boys were aborted in a stupid analogy. I am not the congressman who forgot that I had fundraiser in a lobbyist skybox. But I am still what is wrong with America because I am a liberal democrat according to the Republican party.
I am tired of hearing that I am stupid and I am hurting my country by questioning authority. I am not stupid. I graduated college, read newspapers; books and can tell when someone is lying to me. I faithfully report all my income and pay my taxes regardless of how much it hurts.
The truth is I want government to leave my family and me alone. We will take care of our religious education if the government just fixes the potholes in the road. But the right-wingers know what is best for my family and the rest of the world. They want to force their “Christian Democracy” all around the world.
The bottom line is that I will not need 5 deferments to get me out of serving my country. Because when the neo-cons try to stifle my speech or infringe on my religious liberties I will become one of the insurgents fighting to keep my country.
2013, nothing has changed in Iraq
As I read the entry, my statements are as relevant then as they are today. My hope is that this little entry in my son’s journal will give him a better perspective of who I was and what our nation was going through at the time.