Seattle Press on Line - Our nation has never been more hated as it is today

Our nation has never been more hated as it is today

Mar 03, 2003 --

DEAR PRESIDENT Bush, Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, and Congressman Inslee:

As a 4th grade teacher, I'm absolutely horrified at the negative and backward direction our country has been going the last few years. I'm especially concerned about our quickly eroding relationship with other nations (even those we once considered our allies); environmental degradation via rollbacks on protections of our precious natural environment (which future generations will be completely dependent on and stuck with); archaic energy policies and subsidies for non-renewable, polluting, and even dangerous oil, coal, and nuclear. Our excessive use of 19th century energy sources is not sustainable and is threatening our national security.

As the Bible states, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." One of our problems is that the Bush administration's "vision" for America is one of military and economic dominance. This arrogant vision is primitive and maladaptive and is definitely not sustainable—particularly in a nuclear age. My vision, and that of many people around the world, includes addressing and solving very real global problems such as global warming, threats to world peace, social injustices, and human rights violations. If we really want to survive as a species, we must stop using the same thinking and policies that created these life-threatening problems.

The time is now for international support of the Kyoto Protocol and aggressive promotion of Renewable Energy like wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, tidal, fuel cell, etc., and a rapid transition away from burning of fossil fuels and using nuclear energy which threatens all human life. We must end subsidies to oil, coal, and nuclear industries and switch support to the energy sources that can truly support life on earth for many generations to come. Our children, grandchildren, and those to come must live (or die) with the consequences of our decisions and actions today.

Our nation has never been more hated as it is today. This use of threats of aggression against other countries and using inflammatory language like "axis of evil" has only exacerbated the problems and adds fuel to the fire of hatred and global mistrust. This will all surely increase worldwide terrorism, especially against Americans. Our country should work in cooperation with the rest of the world in ridding the earth of weapons of mass destruction, including our own. Bush should join the international community by supporting the ABM (anti-ballistic missile) treaty. Violence only begets more violence. We cannot bomb and bribe the world into goodwill toward us. War does not lead to authentic peace.

"Free" trade must be replaced by fair trade as nations work together to protect their citizens from the exploitation and overly powerful multinational corporations. The consequence of their unchecked power is like a fast-growing cancer against humanity. Governments around this world must work together to reign in these money-obsessed CEOs and corporate corruption must be abolished.

The foolish and short-sighted attitude that in order to "win" others must lose is a world view appropriate for cavemen, not for a sustainable 21st century and a human community that can survive. Please seek out wise counsel and innovative and creative solutions to the many problems we have created. God always provides a way if we would only humble ourselves and listen. You have a tough job. Thank you for your hard work. I trust you will all consider what is best and wisest for humanity as a whole.

Karen Hertz
Bothell, WA

Reader Comments

Discuss this article in the forums!


James McFarlane	Mar 04, 2003	Seattle, WA	Art
The teacher from Bothell makes some very good points and I sure wish the rest of the world would mellow out and follow her advice. We, in this country, are capable of making the changes she describes and good things are happening. Nothing brings people closer to war than when their versions of ëPeaceí collide. We live on the same planet, but not by the same rules. In the Middle East we are dealing with people that donít like the west no matter what we do and they never will approve of us. Do you think peace is part of their vocabulary? Some of the countries have moderated their behavior recent times, but itís a part of the world that generates mostly bad news. In my mind it seems difficult to make agreements with a culture that shoots machine guns to celebrate the most mundane family occasions. They need to make some changes in the Arab countries because they appear to be an extremely violent culture. Too often the problems of the Arab countries have spilled out into the rest of the world. Far too often the Arabs want to blame us for their bad behavior. The president needs to be firm because things have been left unfinished for too long. Thereís too much uncertainty. Where heck is that peace in Israel weíve been negotiating for the last 50 years? Havenít they killed enough people yet? The leaders of Iran, Iraq, Libya and North Korea are very bad dictators. They have created the tension we see in the world today. The USA is slowly reacting to many attacks from the Arabs. The USA has shown a lot restraint over the years. Why should we live in fear of these crazy leaders? The U.S. may have supported Saddam in his war with Iran and that was wrong. If Saddam is partially our creation, then itís time to correct some poor decisions made long ago. We have been at war with Iraq for 12 years now, havenít the Iraqi people have suffered enough? Saddam good bye. Thank you


Scott Brady	Mar 06, 2003	Anoka, MN
I'd like to know what Hertz's occupation has to do with her opinions, or how it lends them any credence. If nothing else, it reveals a degree of political orthodoxy within the teaching profession, and the level to which it's taken for granted. I might add the letter is quite poorly written. I should be dismayed that it's the work of a teacher, but I can't say I'm surprised.


James	Mar 10, 2003	Seattle
Read this: http://avpv.tripod.com/AmericanVictims.html


Nancy Jarmin	Aug 21, 2003	Cashmere, WA	Insurance
Our nation's debt is spiraling by the second and the list of lies told by those who planned the attack on Iraq is growing. Our military is bogged down in Iraq (another Vietnam)and the damage the U.S. did, through sanctions and bombings, has destroyed the infastructure and businesses of Iraq. Civil rights and human rights are ignored and legislated out of existence (USA Patriot Act) Unemployment is at near-record levels. I could go on and on. We need change, a BIG change. Not a Republican in Democrat clothing - we need CHANGE. People - PLEASE - before it's too late, check out Dennis Kucinich for President. Dennis isn't just another mouthpiece of the armament industry, the oil companies and the rich power brokers. He is the only candidate that will support the rights and well-being of the wage-earning, taxpaying, jobless, homeless, immigrant people of this country and repair our Bush-trampled foreign relations. Check him out! The mainstream media is making a considerable effort to ignore him - that should tell you something!


Max Powers	Mar 23, 2004	south africa	garbage man
Most naive letter i've ever read. Plenty of propaganda cliches without facts. The Kyoto Protocol was unfair to america the ONLY nation that could NOT back its national parks against its emissions. "burning of fossil fuels and using nuclear energy which threatens all human life." take an engineering course moron. ABM treaty, land mines and the sort are apart of our national security. If Americas safety is ever threated like in WW2, i think and pray that the miltary would be RUTHLESS and use any means possible. There is no doubt that Allah is a trouble maker. Islam doest preach forgiveness and either does Judaism, if only everyone would act more Christian. America must make known to the world that terrorism against civilians is no solution to any problem.