Letters From a Reader

At the end of the Gulf war I saw a picture of retreating Iraqi troops that the allied forces had wiped out. It was the end of the war and everybody in America was celebrating. I thought then - we had best not celebrate while these boy's mothers are still alive.

Reflecting on the Attacks

On September 11 I was as shocked and afraid and angry as anybody – thinking how can anyone do such a thing to innocent people. But there was a small voice I didn't (still don't) want to listen to saying "I know why." I realize now that, if I were a poor man in Baghdad with a small family, working to bring food home (under an oppressive government I don't like but can do nothing about) whose son was drafted to fight the Americans, I would be angry and feel quite helpless. If my son were killed in a bunker by a smart bomb fired from a ship many miles away; if my government retaliated, firing scud missiles and killing people like me elsewhere, then America retaliated by bombing Baghdad - killing my wife in what would be termed "collateral damage", then I could become a human bomb. I could do what the hijackers did. I was in the army during the Vietnam War and I remember wondering why none of my fellow soldiers were from wealthy families. Sometimes I think the real war is a simple one - between the rich and the poor (maybe the terrorists have one thing right - maybe we need to form cells, infiltrate political systems and pretend to defend the rich while we secretly fight for the poor. Just babbling). Some of our anger should be at our own CIA, FBI, police, airport security, onboard security. We all dropped the ball.

I went through a group of political cartoons from around the world today. The countries that are more divorced from the conflict seem to see the folly of war against Afghanistan. Even families of victims from the towers are calling for peace. But war brings up the U.S. defense industry – the biggest money-maker in America. It is very good for that business and I have felt duped and exceedingly uneasy about that situation since Vietnam. A bunch of poor people died on both sides and a few wealthy people got much more wealthy. 

America is not only angry right now, America is also ashamed and humiliated. Those are dangerous feelings. I have heard versions of this line, "So you came in and killed 6000 with boxcutters - now we're going to show you what we can do with our weapons." Reminds me of when I was a kid, bullied for a long time by my big brother who was four years older. I finally snuck in when he was sleeping and hit him on the leg with a baseball bat. He chased me down and just about killed me - not because I had hurt him so bad, but because I had humiliated him.

A humiliated man has to be made to feel that it is exceedingly manly to leave revenge to a higher power. We need other countries to help now (lie if necessary) to say, "Oh America you are truly powerful and strong. We could not wait so long. We would have lashed out quickly and foolishly. We respect you for your restraint."

I love America by the way, partly because I am allowed to criticize it, but also because it took in both of my poor criminal grandfathers (one refused to fight in a war he felt was unjust, the other refused to pay exorbitant taxes to an oppressive government) and gave them land in exchange for their hard work. They built good lives for themselves and their families in the new land. There are many wonderful people in America as there are in countries all over the world.

An America of All, For All

I just finished reading an article in the paper (from the NY Times) by Peter Freundlich, speaking quite eloquently as an atheist/agnostic who was unexpectedly moved by the scenes at the prayer meeting at Yankee stadium, with people of all races and religions together holding hands and praying - Muslims and Sikhs and Hindus together. All the others too - particularly those who hate and hurt each other outside America. America is a goofy experiment - allowing stupid people to speak alongside intelligent people, requiring all the factions to come together and treat each other with respect. What a stupid and lovely idea. America is an imperfect, beautiful country with many wonderful people living relatively peacefully with idiots. We are so free that we even allow idiots to represent us in Washington. America is only 250 years old - just a fingersnap in human history. Just a baby. I have never felt that America was my country - but that it is a country that belongs to the world. Not that we are all Americans, but that America is (was?) a country where anybody from anywhere could go to live. It was that way for my grandfathers - less so now. What I am trying to say is this -- help us, please. Help us change, help us be better - but don't give up on us, because you will be giving up on yourselves as well. I do believe that, if America fails, we all fail. 

I know many people around the world hate America's foreign policy - but few understand that many Americans hate that foreign policy too. I am one of about 50% of Americans who do not vote because I want to be sure that I have the freedom not to vote and because I don't agree with much of what our leaders put into place as policy (foreign or domestic). In America, the poor are not represented by anyone in power. Outside America it is the same. I like to think this will change, not because terrorists like bin Laden say it should (because I don't think they care about the poor either) but because it is right. One thing we Americans are seeing (many of us for the first time) is the frustrating mix of hatreds that exist so close to the surface in the Middle East. Pakistan and India, Israel and Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria and Egypt too. I think we wanted to not know about it. Now I am hearing from Indians what America should do - and from Pakistanis different ideas about what America should do. Each country seems to have a different view of what America should do (primarily to support their views). I think a lot of Americans are saying, "Let's just get out of there - quit meddling and let those countries deal with each other as they will. Stop all sanctions, develop a hydrogen energy policy. Protect our borders. Keep America for the Americans, etc." 

... For All?

Very strange thinking today (I was teaching, but mostly thinking). I was thinking this: If I was an American Muslim today I would go to the local police and tell them I want to help America and my people. I would ask them to give me truth drugs and/or a polygraph test - clear my name, prove my innocence. Then I would help them to build internment camps for my American Muslim friends (nice camps, mind you), to protect them from American idiots and so they could prove their innocence and then, if they want, help to find the rest of the criminals who happen to look like them...

I have seen and heard much about the Japanese internment. Amazingly the Japanese here don't find it very upsetting. The case for internment camps is much stronger than it was for the Japanese back in WWII. Infiltration is a fact in this case (there were only unsubstantiated rumors of Japanese infiltrators). We know there are still criminals at large inside the U.S., possibly with airplanes and anthrax (or worse). The fear level is extremely high. Bio warfare wasn't a threat from the Japanese Americans in WWII.

Hundreds jailed now because they are Muslims or look Arabic or had lunch with one of the known high-jackers is sad. But I understand it. Both cases were due to irrational fears. People are genuinely terrorized. Anthrax is more terrifying than airplane bombs (and we may well find out this is the work of domestic terrorists unrelated to bin Laden, and there is an even worse scenario). Civil rights in America have been set back 40 years (and a lot of people in Washington are happy about that). Gun control is no longer an issue. Americans may all be required to own guns soon.

Obviously I am scared, but if it were put to a vote right now, I am sorry to say that I would vote for internment camps. If I were an American Muslim I would vote for internment camps (very nice camps, with gourmet chefs).

Americans and Japanese are pretty good friends now, at least partly because of the guilt Americans feel about those Japanese internment camps. With time, when the fear abates, we will feel guilty about this situation too. Tragedy tends to bring out the best in Americans, but fear brings out the worst.

Back to the Truth, Back on Track

I thought that George Bush was almost right when he said, "You have to decide, either you are with us or against us." This thing is boiling down to two sides, but it is not Americans vs. Taliban/bin Laden or Christian vs. Muslim. It is a battle between those who want the world to end soon and those who want the world to continue (and hopefully improve). bin Laden and the right wing Christians are on the same side, along with many survivalists, cults like the Aum here in Japan, Charles Manson, Timothy McVeigh, and a number of other fools and criminals. 

I voted once, for Jimmy Carter, because he was the kindest president we have ever had. I have never agreed with much of America's foreign policy - for the most part I have fought against it. Hated the education I got at the Catholic school where I grew up. Now these crazy religious zealots want to kill me because of politics I cannot control and things that happened long before I was born.

For what it is worth, the past months have helped me realize (again - something I never seem to learn) that peace is more courageous than war, love more macho than hate. Fear and anger need to be suppressed - they are dangerous and counter-productive. I had a motto I was living by before Sept 11 and I am going to go back to that now. I called it SAFEK - it just meant "no Sadness, Anger or Fear - just good Energy and Kindness." It served me well, but I forgot it for a while.