| | September 17, 2001

Letters to MotherJones.com

Speaking up for freedom
Re: "Alone on the Hill"
9/21/01

Barbara Lee is right. In surrendering this important decision to the president, we are voluntarily giving up our own voice. Such irony! We are attempting to protect our freedom by giving up our freedom. How could that seem like a good idea?

Beverly Kelly

 

Lee in 2004?
Re: "Alone on the Hill"
9/20/01

I applaud her courage -- does she want to run for president?

I despise what the perpetrators of these crimes did as much as anyone else. I think they should definitely be brought to justice, but not at the expense of our civil liberties or Americans' chance to vote on whether or not they want to go to war.

It is not easy to stand alone, but I really respect Barbara Lee for her decision.

Aislinn Quinn

 

Lee leads with perspective
Re: "Alone on the Hill"
9/20/01

I think she is a very brave person and a great representative for the people. Ms. Lee clearly leads with both a level head as well as an open heart, and that is really admirable.

As a non-American, I do not support war against Afghanistan either, believing that it will not solve the problem of terrorism in the long run. It's important for the American public to know the facts and see the tragedy of the World Trade Center incident within the larger context of the world at large. American foreign policies -- whether Americans wish to believe it or not -- have contributed greatly to the events which lead to the attack. Sad, but true.

If Americans could only understand that they are only one part of the world and that what happens in one place affects us all, then the world will have found the answer to stopping terrorism.

Elena Yeo

 

Stop, look, listen
Re: "Beware the Backlash"
9/17/01

The backlash against Muslims and Arab Americans is scary and unsettling. If people only opened their eyes and ears to really see and listen, they would realize that there are countless numbers of Arabs and Muslims in this country who are outraged and deeply saddened over last week's attacks.

People need to learn to think carefully about their anger, their response, and to grow in empathy for people worldwide who experience this type of horror much more frequently than any American ever has had to.

Laura Makinen

 

War on everybody?
Re: "Beyond the Blasts"
9/16/01

As a Canadian, I am deeply disturbed by the Bush administration's vow to go after not only the perpetrators of the horrible acts of September 11, but also go after the countries that "harbor" them.

It is known that "terrorists" (according to the Bush administration's definition) are suspected to live in Canada. Does this mean that Canada may be under threat of attack? What about European countries that have been known to harbor "terrorists" -- will they to be under the same threat? Or is this really just a threat to bomb countries with significant Muslim populations that are not part of the corporate America culture and have no economic means of defending themselves?

It is extremely irresponsible for the administration to be using words like "revenge," and "war," or to be thinking in those terms at all. It flies in the face of what democracies are supposed to stand for and what justice is all about.

Jewel Walker

 

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