‘Faith in goodness of our country' is tested

To the editor: In reply to Rob Fletcher and others: The people who attacked us on 9/11 are enemies of justice, freedom and peace. The ideology that inspired these actions is irredeemably flawed. Since it was the U.S. that was attacked, it is our prerogative to respond. I think we agree on these points and I welcome the chance for constructive dialogue that these letters afford. My faith in the goodness of our country stands in contrast to my disdain for Bush’s leadership. He has failed in the duties of the presidency; the examples are truly too numerous even to list. He is threatening the very constitution he swore to uphold. Torture at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, extraordinary rendition of innocents to other countries for interrogation and warrantless spying on American citizens are actions which play right into the hands of those who wish to end our liberal democratic rights. Mr. Bush is confused about his role as chief executive. His power extends only to official duties of enforcing the written laws of the U S. He is first and foremost a civil servant. His obligation is to us, not ours to him. If he regards criticism as treasonous then Congress has an obligation to check his hubris. It is one thing to use the bully pulpit of the office to explain, urge, and communicate ones policies and decisions to the public. Bill Clinton was a master of communication who used his knowledge, wit and intelligence to fulfill his role as a public servant and a great leader. George Bush, lacking those qualities, has substituted secrecy, fear and belligerence for openness and conciliation. This is a serious matter; the country is now threatened as never before by growing numbers of radicals who want to attack us. This failure of policy is mirrored by the internal threats to our civil liberties. Additionally our economic nest egg has been squandered in pursuit of a war that was foisted on us by suspiciously skewed intelligence. The only overarching consistent analysis that explains the aims of this administration is financial. The one outcome that all these actions have in common is a funneling of money and power to those at the very top. Since justice and unbiased information, like every other commodity in America, is subject to market forces, I worry that absent a groundswell of public outcry, our democracy will be lost. Richard Bennett Warwick