2004-04-18

 

Letter to Critics

 

Jack Dalton

 

Ever since I started writing and publishing my opinions about George W. Bush and his Cabal, I’ve learned what others that voice their opinions already knew—Bush supporters can get real personal and ugly to say the least.  I have a friend, Doug Kirk that has a small local newspaper in Canyon Lake, Texas, the Canyon Lake Week.  Thanks to him what I write gets published in his paper.  I’m going thru this not to bore anyone, but for background for what follows.  Back to what I was saying.  His paper is what I believe is what a newspaper should be.  News uncensored and a public forum whereby citizens can debate and put forth their views on the things that affect their lives and the health of the nation, a newspaper in the true sense of the word. There are a lot of letters to the editor that are anything but agreeable or complimentary, but that’s what public discourse is and is about. Be that as it may, every once in a while people will write letters of condemnation to us that object to Bush and his cabal that just defy the imagination. The person that wrote a rebuttal to one of my articles is the specific person my following response is addressed to. At the same time, it really has application to all who would mindlessly join the Bush cheerleaders.

 

The “Hit Man” Is Back Dave

by Jack Dalton

 

Before getting into the body of my response to your latest little mindless letter to the editor Dave, I must of necessity first address one particular comment. It is the one where you thanked me for going to Vietnam and defending “freedom.”

 

Dave, I was not in Vietnam fighting for freedom. After getting there I was just trying to stay alive…fighting for “freedom” had absolutely nothing to do with why we were there, just as it has nothing to do with why we are in Iraq. You see Dave, I worked counter insurgency operations…a euphemistic term for an assassin…that’s what we did, assassinate people from off a list. That’s not war; that’s not fighting for “freedom” its murder pure and simple. It’s also the kind of thing being done in Iraq right now, by snipers and mercenaries (or “civilian contractors” as the U.S. press and the Bush cabal like to put it). The group I was a part of pre-dated Operation Phoenix. We were not nice people and we were not doing what we were doing for “truth, justice and the American way.”  I wish I could erase all that from my mind but I’m stuck with the memories that will not go away…freedom had nothing to do with Vietnam, just as it has nothing to do with what we are doing in Iraq.  Anything further you have to say about Vietnam I for one hope you will keep to yourself as you do not know what you are talking about, period, end of story!

 

All I could do was laugh when I read your question to Doug, “Is it necessary to contact a hit-man from another state to come after me?” I could write books behind that one question but this will have to suffice: First; I’m no longer a “hit-man” that stopped when I left Vietnam; Second; Doug’s little old “local” paper has made it’s way all the way out here to Oregon (as well as Germany, Italy, Egypt, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and the Netherlands…scary isn’t it Dave?).

 

You have to understand that there are a lot of us that are very interested as to what takes place throughout Texas…think about it. Texas gave us L.B.J., George the first, George the second, Tom DeLay, just to mention a few. What you folks in Texas have done has affected the entire country, so it behooves the rest of us to keep up with the political activities there. We can only do that if we read, or did that escape that magnificently astute mind of yours? Quite frankly, I view the Canyon Lake Week as a “true” 4th Estate publication and one the rest of the U.S. print media could learn from.

 

Back to your comments. You state that, “I (you) have genuine problems with Mr. Bush,” and then go on to say, “Taking all things into consideration, I am proud to call Mr. Bush my president.” What is it about Bush you have problems with? What is it you took into “consideration” that fills you with “pride” to call him your president? Aren’t you tired of the splinters in your posterior from sitting on that “politically correct” fence of false patriotism?

 

How is it that you and the people like you consider the dissemination of facts as “smear tactics?” Are your cognitive abilities really that shallow? You then go on to ask, “How many have people have died and will die because of the glaring split in our homeland being headlined all over the world, giving comfort and power to the enemy?” This is the same (virtually word for word) “song” that was “sung” by the lovers of war during Vietnam (the great majority of which found every reason under the sun so as not to have to fight the war they supported and praised). It was a load of crap then, it is a load of crap now. You do not help the country with your brand of mindless “patriotism,” it gets people killed in wholesale numbers!

 

Maybe, just maybe, the mess in Iraq and the insurgency has something to do with a people not wanting an occupying colonial army in their country (while we are told we are not going to occupy Iraq, permanent military bases are being built????). Maybe they object to the hand-picked U.S. “Iraqi Governing Council” with a convicted felon as its head (Chalabi). Maybe they object to the wholesale privatization of all goods and services, as well as all natural resources (oil) by U.S. multinationals. Maybe they object to all the private “guns-for-hire” mercenaries (contractors as they are euphemistically called). Maybe they are tired of being pulled out of their homes in the dead of night by U.S. troops. Maybe they are tired of hearing the “freedom and democracy” rhetoric while newspapers are shut down by the U.S. claiming they “support terrorism” simply because they stand against occupation. Maybe they are tired of being shot and bombed by the U.S. military that is fighting the Bush cabals “holy war” of good vs. evil as Bush likes to put it. Maybe they are tired of seeing young children with their arms and legs blown off by U.S. bombs. Maybe they are tired of seeing women with their faces shot off by U.S. snipers (most of which are 18-24 years old…that will end up spending the rest of their lives being haunted by exactly what it is that they have done…I see more vet suicides coming in the future). Do you get the idea yet? If not one more. Maybe they understand and do not like Rumsfeld’s plan to incite “terrorist activity” so he can send in the dogs of war for “retribution.” That’s what we are seeing in Fallujah right now. The people being killed and murdered in Fallujah as a result of the killing of 4 mercenaries, oops, I’m sorry, “civilian contractors” is an obscenity! Have all you good upstanding “patriots” forgotten the 17 people that a U.S. helicopter killed in Fallujah last April, an event that nothing was done about? Or is this acceptable behavior for you?

 

How can anyone have “pride” in anyone behind these kinds of actions? Or is it that you believe the party line that the “Christian White Man” is “God-appointed” to rule the world and that everyone is wrong but them? I’m not going to comment on your Vietnam/fall of Communism statement past this; when it comes to Vietnam, you don’t know what you are talking about; if communism fell, how do you explain China? You need to spend much more time in the books. My country right or wrong. Is that the deal with you Dave? Frightening! That is the kind of thinking that’s destructive to this country, not trying to unseat a megalomaniac and his cohorts.

 

You are correct when you say “with much freedom comes much individual responsibility.” And that’s what people like me are being, responsible. Jefferson was right when he said “the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” I’m doing my best to be vigilant, as are many others. People lie. People in power lie a lot. People in power must be watched, and watched closely by the people, us, as we are the folks they are suppose to answer to. To just fall in step and march obediently behind someone like Bush, just because he’s the prez shirks all individual responsibility to hold everyone within the body governance totally accountable for everything they do in our names…period, end of story! I blindly followed once and then spent two years in Vietnam…I’ll never be that blind again.

 

The only threat to our freedoms is the Bush cabal and John Ashcroft with his “Patriot Act.” I grew up during the McCarthy era; I remember it and what happened in this country as a result. I remember the FBI and its “Cointelpro” in the 60’s. This is worse. The only threats I see to our freedoms is Bush and his crowd with their “policy” of sit-down, shut-up and do what you are told. Ha, fat chance! How do you declare war on an individual? When was it that Congress declared war?

 

If you ever thank me again for anything, let it not be Vietnam, rather let it be because I refuse to allow myself to become a cheerleader for Bush and his cabal. You are supporting a man that has withdrawn this country from virtually every treaty it has signed including, but not limited to, all nuclear weapons treaties…the Pentagon, thru the Dept. of Energy are building bunker-buster nukes…I guess you support that as you support Bush; a provision in the “No Child Left Behind Act” MANDATES schools that receive federal funds to allow military recruiters full access to all students and their personal records, or loose their federal funding. Get-um while they’re young, ain’t that right Dave. The guy you support thinks so. With endless wars in sight and Iraq bowing up big time, gonna need more troops for the empire. Your support of Bush also supports his policies so I guess none of this is of concern to a good upstanding patriot like you.

 

I could go on forever but I’m old, I’m tired, I’ve got reading to do so I’m gone…for now. Bye Bye.

 

Jack Dalton