Open Letter to Rep. Northup and Senators Bunning and McConnell
Dear Rep. Northup, Senator Bunning, and Senator McConnell:
According to an article in the New York Times ("Rove Criticizes Liberals on 9/11," June 23, 2005) presidential advisor Karl Rove stated, in Manhattan, that liberals in want our troops to die.
As a liberal and a Democrat, I find this deeply offensive. This sort of rhetoric is divisive and hateful, and our country does not need this during wartime, especially now that the honesty and integrity of the White House, President George W. Bush, and various Department of Defense officials is subject to honest question and debate with the revelation of the so-called "Downing Street Memos."
Having friends and family that have served this nation at times of war dating back to World War II, and in every conflict since, I resent the allegation that I want any of our troops to come to harm. In making such statements Mr. Rove is trampling the Constitutional protections of free speech and open debate in questioning the acts and motivations of our government - the core principles of our democracy that separate our system of government from fascism, communism, monarchy, and totalitarianism. We may have bona fide disagreements on politics and policy, but this debasement and degradation of my basic humanity for those political beliefs is atrocious and unbecoming of any public official, and especially one who speaks for the President of the United States - who is ostensibly the President for all Americans.
In a word it is un-American and constitutes a direct affront to the ideals and high aspirations espoused by our Founding Fathers. Rather, the President should vigorously pursue Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and who remains at large nearly four years after the vicious attack his organization made on our soil. As Porter Goss has recently indicated he has a very good idea of bin Laden’s whereabouts, and given that President Bush has vowed to not distinguish between terrorists and the governments that harbor them, it would seem a more worthwhile to attack them than fellow Americans. However, because Scott McClellan has defended Mr. Rove’s remarks on behalf of the White House, and Ken Mehlman has supported the statements on behalf of the entire Republican National Committee, it appears that Karl Rove, the RNC, and President Bush are more interested in attacking and conquering Democrats and liberals than terrorists.
As a constituent of yours, I would like to know if you agree with Mr. Rove's statements, and if you, too, believe that as a liberal that I want any of our men or women in the armed services to come to harm. If you are dismissive of my inquiry given my political leanings, then perhaps you will answer the Families of September 11. Or the members of our military who are appalled by Mr. Rove's statements. Or the 49% of Americans that voted for a candidate other than George Bush in the 2004 election. Mr. Rove's comments are an insult to half our nation's population, and likely the same to the 57% of Americans that now oppose the war in Iraq.
Mr. Rove, the RNC, and President George Bush are now attacking Americans.
So I am asking: Does Karl Rove speak for you like he speaks for our President?
Sincerely yours,
Pete
PS. / Update: Kristen Breitweiser posits an interesting question, and also would like some answers.
According to an article in the New York Times ("Rove Criticizes Liberals on 9/11," June 23, 2005) presidential advisor Karl Rove stated, in Manhattan, that liberals in want our troops to die.
As a liberal and a Democrat, I find this deeply offensive. This sort of rhetoric is divisive and hateful, and our country does not need this during wartime, especially now that the honesty and integrity of the White House, President George W. Bush, and various Department of Defense officials is subject to honest question and debate with the revelation of the so-called "Downing Street Memos."
Having friends and family that have served this nation at times of war dating back to World War II, and in every conflict since, I resent the allegation that I want any of our troops to come to harm. In making such statements Mr. Rove is trampling the Constitutional protections of free speech and open debate in questioning the acts and motivations of our government - the core principles of our democracy that separate our system of government from fascism, communism, monarchy, and totalitarianism. We may have bona fide disagreements on politics and policy, but this debasement and degradation of my basic humanity for those political beliefs is atrocious and unbecoming of any public official, and especially one who speaks for the President of the United States - who is ostensibly the President for all Americans.
In a word it is un-American and constitutes a direct affront to the ideals and high aspirations espoused by our Founding Fathers. Rather, the President should vigorously pursue Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and who remains at large nearly four years after the vicious attack his organization made on our soil. As Porter Goss has recently indicated he has a very good idea of bin Laden’s whereabouts, and given that President Bush has vowed to not distinguish between terrorists and the governments that harbor them, it would seem a more worthwhile to attack them than fellow Americans. However, because Scott McClellan has defended Mr. Rove’s remarks on behalf of the White House, and Ken Mehlman has supported the statements on behalf of the entire Republican National Committee, it appears that Karl Rove, the RNC, and President Bush are more interested in attacking and conquering Democrats and liberals than terrorists.
As a constituent of yours, I would like to know if you agree with Mr. Rove's statements, and if you, too, believe that as a liberal that I want any of our men or women in the armed services to come to harm. If you are dismissive of my inquiry given my political leanings, then perhaps you will answer the Families of September 11. Or the members of our military who are appalled by Mr. Rove's statements. Or the 49% of Americans that voted for a candidate other than George Bush in the 2004 election. Mr. Rove's comments are an insult to half our nation's population, and likely the same to the 57% of Americans that now oppose the war in Iraq.
Mr. Rove, the RNC, and President George Bush are now attacking Americans.
So I am asking: Does Karl Rove speak for you like he speaks for our President?
Sincerely yours,
Pete
PS. / Update: Kristen Breitweiser posits an interesting question, and also would like some answers.
posted by Pete @ 10:49 AM
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