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 _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp