Dear SSEC,
     Well, the polls are in and judging by about 4 responses to my last
message quaoting Pastor Niemoller, it appears some SSECers are ready to
march off to kill the people of Afghanistan.  Some are buying into Bush's
rhetoric that this "new war" will be one of "good vs. evil."  I am assuming
that Bush means the Taliban is evil and the U.S. is good, but it seems we
have forgotten that the U.S. supported Osama bin Laden with millions of
dollars in finance, arms, and training in guerilla tactics and terrorism
only a few years ago.  The U.S. put the Taliban into power.  This is a fact,
so when did our former allies become "evil", I have always thought the
Taliban and the a-Qaida were evil, but it appears that the U.S. gov't
thought differently of an ultra-right wing religious faction of militants
with a repressive agenda. Maybe they can relate. But I guess these guys
weren't evil when they were killing innocent women in Afghanistan, but now
they're killing innocent Americans and they graduated from "ally" to "evil".

I have a couple requests.

     First, I would urge SSEC to research the history of U.S. intervention
in the Middle-East and you will find that we are not at all "good".
Furthermore, you will find that we have frequently supported, financed and
armed those we have later labeled as evil.
     Second.  The reactionary current of SSEC that espouses to have a
legitimate concern for equality, justice and peace, should take a close look
at who your friends are and before you start taking cheap shots at those of
us who have always supported you in your initiatives, you research the
validity of your rhetoric, and consider for just a moment the implications
of "America's new war" and other such slogans as "national interest" and
"national security". If we don't remain vigilant in the defense of
civil-rights, we'll lose 'em all.  I assure you that I hope that I'm wrong
about the Bush administration.

I guess we'll just wait and see.

Sincerely,
Joshua

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