Election determines fate of nation

Election determines fate of nation



Published in the Daily Record on Oct. 6

By Mathew Manweller

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http://www.kvnews.com/articles/2004/10/20/manwellercolumn/manwellercolumn.txt





In that this will be my last column before the presidential election, there will be no sarcasm, no attempts at witty repartee. The topic is too serious, and the stakes are too high.

This November we will vote in the only election during our lifetime that will truly matter. Because America is at a once-in-a-generation crossroads, more than an election hangs in the balance. Down one path lies retreat, abdication and a reign of ambivalence.

Down the other lies a nation that is aware of it's past and accepts the daunting obligation its future demands. If we choose poorly, the consequences will echo through the next 50 years of history. If we, in a spasm of frustration, turn out the current occupant of the White House, the message to the world and ourselves will be two-fold. First, we will reject the notion that America can do big things. Once a nation that tamed a frontier, stood down the Nazis and stood upon the moon, we will announce to the world that bringing democracy to the Middle East is too big of a task for us. But more significantly, we will signal to future presidents that as voters, we are unwilling to tackle difficult challenges, preferring caution to boldness, embracing the mediocrity that has characterized other civilizations.

The defeat of President Bush will send a chilling message to future presidents who may need to make difficult, yet unpopular decisions. America has always been a nation that rises to the demands of history regardless of the costs or appeal. If we turn away from that legacy, we turn away from whom we are.

Second, we inform every terrorist organization on the globe that the lesson of Somalia was well-learned. In Somalia we showed terrorists that you don't need to defeat America on the battlefield when you can defeat them in the newsroom. They learned that a wounded America can become a defeated America. Twenty-four-hour news stations and daily tracing polls will do the heavy lifting, turning a cut into a fatal blow. Except that Iraq is Somalia times 10. The election of John Kerry will serve notice to every terrorist in every cave that the soft underbelly of American power is the timidity of American voters. Terrorists will know that a steady stream of grisly photos for CNN is all you need to break the will of the American people. Our own self-doubt will take it from there. Bin Laden will recognize that he can topple any American administration without setting foot on the homeland.

It is said that America's W.W.II generation is its 'greatest generation'. But my greatest fear is that it will become known as America's 'last generation.' Born in the bleakness of the Great depression and hardened in the fire of W.W. II, they may be the last American generation that understands the meaning of duty, honor and sacrifice. It is difficult to admit, but I know these terms are spoken with only hollow detachment by many (but not all) in my generation. Too many citizens today mistake 'living in America' as 'being an American.' But America has always been more of an idea than a place. When you sign on, you do more than buy real estate. You accept a set of values and responsibilities.

This November, my generation, which has been absent too long, must grasp the obligation that comes with being an American, or fade into the oblivion they may deserve. I believe that 100 years from now historians will look back at the election of 2004 and see it as the decisive election of our century. Depending on the outcome, they will describe it as the moment America joined the ranks of ordinary nations; or they will describe it as the moment the prodigal sons and daughters of the greatest generation accepted their burden as caretakers of the City on the Hill."

Mathew Manweller is a Central Washington University political science professor.

 

Interesting. I don't think that if Kerry gets elected that we're just going to give up in Iraq. That would be suicide in more ways than one. Not only would it give a bad message to the world, but it would leave a nation in turmoil, left to the most ruthless group. We'd have another Afghanistan all over again, a terrorist hotbed. I think this writer misconstrues (possibly intentionally) what Kerry wants to do in Iraq. I don't claim to know his whole plan, but I very much doubt he plans to just yank the troops out and leave Iraq to it's own devices. We are pretty much committed to cleaning up our mess, and finishing the job. But it doesn't have to be done under Bush, or in only Bush's way.

I also disagree that by not reelecting Bush that we are telling the world we can't make hard decisions. It's saying that hey, maybe we were wrong, and this guy isn't the best leader for us. We can use our democratic system to choose the leader we as a people want and who we think will do the better job. It's saying, hey, this guy misled us into a war, and we don't want men like that leading the greatest nation on earth.

 

yeah, look at the mess up bush is doing now, it's saying America isn't as strong and as hardass as they thought, we need someone else in there.

 

After reading that, I feel compelled to vote Bush out of office.

 

lol, me too. Well becuase of that and the over 100,000 dead civilians in Iraq. And the wonderful job he is doing here domestically. My little sister, who was in a special class becuase she has lost 90% of her hearing, had to be returned to the regular classes to struggle again becuase of the wonderfully underfunded "no child left behind" act.

 

Kerry Kerry Kerry

You MUST be a moron to support the worst presdent in the history of the united states.

 

ugh, I'm sorry that happened..that really sucks..NO MORE BUSH NO MORE BUSH! By the way i already voted and it felt really GOOD to do so.

 

I think that if people don't want to understand the real issues through fear and ignorance, then they are killing themselves and their children and the rest of the world through their direct inaction. I think that if people disagree with what their leader says and does then they should be given the opportunity to express that, or leave the country.

I believe the United States Corporation, and it's holdings and employees and unwilling volunteers, is on a course to self destruction. Reasonable peace-loving or life-valueing people should leave the U.S. in a spiritual and political exodus; as Bush and the Admin are actually attacking people's spirits and use politics as an expression of their negative energy, that they propagate in negative ways. I see a black cloud for the U.S.C, and i call them a Corporation for a reason (even if it is a stolen expression).

I think that Kerry is there to distract the more liberal from real and profound change that could be offered from maybe the Greens or another. They are business men and they have connections below the glossy media veneer that we are generally permitted to see.

I would then hope that Bush does stay in power; to carry on the stumbling and bumbling of the U.S. until it becomes clear that they cannot handle themselves, that the bulk of being the worlds only superpower is a stumbling giant, with a blindfold on and vines around its bare-feet, pulling it down. It is amazing that it's breath is keeping it up; it's breath being the threat of armageddon and oppression, of embargos and "pre-emptive" strikes that have made the "freeest nation on earth" the world pariah as of late.

It has a lot of work to do, and if it can be done, than Americans have to change their system and their whole life, at the same time. This is a generalisation but it does seem most people are caught up in essentially a waste of time; in regards to living in the system and surfing the duldrums of mundanity. Real life should be exciting and stimulate the full range of emotions and other neurological responses. It should be fun and fulfiliing. Bush and the rest want you working paying eating paying sleeping paying fucking paying praying paying thinking paying and simple, unchallenging and inferior to them, so they can on one single level ever be able to justify to whomever, that they* are the people that should be running the country and world. It is strange, our world. Look at it from God's point of view, if you cannot see what I mean. Would God want people to be wasting their time for the benefit of others. Would God want the lives of many in the fiddling and trigger happy hands of the few. Would God want someone who claims to be a believer of the Great One/ness stirring the shit in the playground of the UN, acting against His Word, His Law, His Message of Peace and Love. I'm not Christian but that's the attack I can give, as it is the case that has transpired in relation to Bush, in particular.

I believe Bush to be up there in teh higher echelons of the groups that manipulate the world for their personal gain. I bet Kerry is his gym-partner.

 

well this is my belief, and I have a right to believe this way because of extensive research, but John Kerry fought for this country through vietnam, and he lived through it and came home and protested against it, he was BRAVE to do that..not everyone who came home could actually have the guts and the passion to stand up for what he believed in, he along with tons of other vets believed the Vietnam war was wrong..along with many of us who believe the war in Iraq is wrong. He is brave, and he will make a great leader..We need to get this idiot, out of office, I am not proud to call him my president..it revolts me.

 

The "importance" attached to this election makes me sick. I honestly don't give a cockloving fuck who wins. Well, I'd be a little disappointed to see Kerry win, since I personally consider him to be an amoral person, but I'd get over it in a couple of minutes. History moves in broad trends, too large for any president to truly change. It's a testament to the sad philosophical state of the world and specifically this country when people get so emotionally involved in the petty span of time that four years actually is. Life's too short to over-estimate the significance of who you vote for. I'll always vote for a more limited government, but I won't start screeching when things don't go my way. I'll just polish up my guns and live happily. I alone control my state of mind, and if anyone tries to fuck with my shit I'll control a few bullets into their head. Live free or die, morons.

-Atlas

 

What a grotesque article that was.
Laden with deceit and perversions reminiscent of a fledgling Nazi Germany.

**************
I remember reading a book about 12 -14 years ago.In it America had been toppled by a vicious so called religious right dictator .
It looked amusing at the time , but make no mistake, a lot of democratic countries round the world would like to see mushroom clouds rising up in Washington DC.

I also remember another TV program about 12 years ago.It proedicted a flood of Eastern European refugees , and a war between Europe and America.( Actually after a greedy US president started robbing the Arctic of its oil against intl treaty).

6 years ago I saw a highly respected , ex intelligence , establishment figure in the States saying that within 25 years , there would be a right wing coup in the States.

America poses a threat to the stablity of the free world( by the way , America cant be classed as part of the free world)

.It claims to have some god given right to get its oil at a fraction of market rates - and thinks it can say fuck off to the nuclear powers of India , China , Europe , Pakistan or anywhere else.

America can have a wake up call- maybe an easy one with Kerry( whos really only the good cop in the "good cop bad cop" theatre play.

OR it can find itself on the receiving end of some of the violence sections of it love dishing out.

PS shame the article didnt say who Bush's grandfather and co bankrolled the Nazis , watched Europe smashitself to pieces to allow it to become post war leaders , and with IBM provided the consulants and technology to monitor the extermination of millions of Jews.

Plenty of other truths about "America's great history" can be mentioned too..

 

I thought that already happened in 2000.

 

Sooo you must Know about Sen.John Kerry commiting war crimes along with everyone else correct?
And Bravery in your eyes is someone commiting atrocious war crimes and then coming home and trying to get everyone else in trouble except himself correct?
And Sen. Kerry has guts and passion for standing up at home but not when he was shooting inocent men and women in Vietnam correct?

Interesting.........

 

You seem to have a strange and convoluted way of looking at things.I hope you get your wish.I love seeing people like you getting drafted then whinning and sniveling about it.Or losing whats left of your constitutional rights.You sound very young and niave.

 

Why is that strange and convoluted. She said he was a brave man I would like to know how she sees that as brave. The man went to Vietnam and commited war crimes right along side of everyone else and came home and complained about it. Did he say sorry to every man and women after he killed them.Why did such a brave man do that. He won purple hearts for a war he didnt want to do. He must of did it well.I dont get that at all. He didnt just see things. He did them!

Although I cannot serve at 40 I have two sons I have no problem sending and they have no problem going into a war well justified.

And I havent lost ANY of my constitutional rights!

 

lol what war crimes? Have you been been listening to the Swift Boat Liars who were proven to be liars? Guess so..

 

Actualy I have been listening to Sen. Kerry himself. In his own words....



But even some former Kerry commanders who acknowledge that atrocities occurred in Vietnam said they have believed for 33 years that Kerry wrongly tarred them. While Kerry has not specifically said that his own commanders acted improperly, his 1971 statement was sweeping and targeted even himself. "I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed, in that I took part in shootings in free-fire zones," he said. Kerry went on to say that the people who designed the strategy of firing on anyone who violated that curfew zone "are war criminals."

 

Well, anyone can think what they want of the candidates, and express that with their vote. Bush has divided the country, and the world. I want someone new in office that can give us a shot at becoming more united again. Plus I am sick of all the blatent fear-mongering. It is insulting to my intelligence.

Orange Alert Orage Alert! Grab your duct tape, americans!

 

http://hnn.us/articles/3552.html

 

You need to stop editing and taking words out..ared show the WHOLE thing..
MR. CROSBY NOYES (Washington Evening Star): Mr. Kerry, you said at one time or another that you think our policies in Vietnam are tantamount to genocide and that the responsibility lies at all chains of command over there. Do you consider that you personally as a Naval officer committed atrocities in Vietnam or crimes punishable by law in this country?

SEN. KERRY: There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages. All of this is contrary to the laws of warfare, all of this is contrary to the Geneva Conventions and all of this is ordered as a matter of written established policy by the government of the United States from the top down. And I believe that the men who designed these, the men who designed the free fire zone, the men who ordered us, the men who signed off the air raid strike areas, I think these men, by the letter of the law, the same letter of the law that tried Lieutenant Calley, are war criminals.