I should be grading papers or even straightening the house. I can’t focus. Fights have been breaking out in my school and no one has a plan to address the issue. The NSA is spying on citizens and no one is marching on the White House. So I write, hoping to push these events out of my head.
I just sent the following to my senators – Levin and Stabenow.
Domestic spying? For our own good? I simply cannot believe what is happening to my country. How did we get here?
I am sure that the cabal that currently controls the White House will tell us that 9/11 changed everything and that we should trust them. But, in my experience, trust is an honor that is earned.
How has this president earned the trust of the American people? Osama? Still not captured. Weapons of Mass Destruction? Never existed. Energy Taskforce papers? Not on your life. Outing of a CIA agent? We’ll fire anyone involved? Karl Rove still has a job. We don’t torture? Abu Ghraib. I could go on and on, but this is becoming depressing.
Just this week, we have learned that the NSA is spying on American citizens. Naturally, this administration is claiming that only those with connections to terrorism are being targeted. What in their track record proves that anyone should believe a word they are saying?
It is time to end this madness. The only way to do this is to start impeachment hearings now. Bush has already admitted to “high crimes” and, in my opinion, to treason. He has violated the Constitution, without thought or regret.
If one president can be impeached for perjuring himself about an extra-marital affair, surely G.W. Bush can be impeached for treating the Constitution like a doormat.
He said in his debates with Senator Kerry that being president is “hard.” By all means, let’s relieve him from all that hard work and perhaps set him up to do some hard time.
I can’t help but wonder what would happen if thousands, if not millions of similar letters began to arrive in Washington. Would it make a difference? I hope so, just as I hope the Alito action works.
I just had to unload. You voluntarily read this; my husband is a captive audience. I just hate unloading on him all the time.
Thank you for your diary & for sharing your letter. I compliment you on it — your sense of concern for your nation is completely palpable & you’ve expressed it very, very honestly & concisely.
Regardless of the ultimate effect of the actions we undertake to counter the political truths we perceive, it’s crucial that we take them. Our options are increasingly limited, but they should be used to the maximum & to the best of our abilities while they still exist.
In my opinion, too, there’s also a time to draw back, reflect, gather strength & serenity from what sustains us — in order to counteract the ‘overload’, which can truly brutally twist the spirit. After spending hours each day for close to three years on community & action I’ve found it’s absolutely necessary to do this, as my own life & sensibilities were suffering. In all things, balance creates stability; stability is fortitude.
Vacation can’t get here fast enough. I’ve really only worked 3 weeks and already, I need a break. Thanks for the kind words.
Toni: You are a gem. It will make my letters to the same Senators sooo much easier to write (if that is OK with you). Hope you all get the fights under control. (They know they are mad, they haven’t been able to figure out yet at who, or what) I also hope that your “holiday” break is a peaceful and restful one.
Like Abbie Hoffman might say – “steal this letter.” I hope your holidays go well also.
I’m stealing them too…same Senators 🙂
Let’s hope Stabenow sticks around for a while.
It’s a good letter. I know exactly how you feel, first the spying and then reading about the medicaid changes today. (on top of everything else.) My wife thinks that I get a little too emotional about all of this but after all, it is our country. Our only country.
I’m glad that husband has a good sense of humor. But even he (a Canadian) gets exasperated at all that the bushies are doing.
Our running joke in the house is asking Andrew “Where are the WMDs?” as we change his diapers. He often screams as if we are torturing him. It’s dark humor, but what the hell?
Maybe millions ARE writing! At least one other anyway-oddly enough my letters are almost identical to yours.
Funny how like minded, reasonable people have the same concerns. Must be a conspiracy.
Toni,
I’ve thought of you many times these past few days – I also have a pile of ungraded term papers & finals to grade, with my spouse having the strange experience of working in a public school system where it is perfectly expected to sing Christmas carols and have all sorts of religious stuff leading up to the end of year break (and I recall that in 1979 in Texas as a brand new teacher, our public school system was scrupulous about NOT having any religious stuff associated with the end of year festivities.)
Life is strange.
But we don’t have a toddler to deal with!
And the national disgrace is just. . .well, a total distraction from normal end-of-year “rush and relief”.
I admire you for those great letters, as well as your “12 days of Alito” letter. Great work!
Thanks Kidspeak. I can’t imagine have the quick deadlines that professors seem to have for marking all of those papers, projects, and final exams at the end of the term. I was always amazed that I got my grades in such a timely manner.
The toddler is the best part of my whole day (my husband ain’t bad either).
Thanks for the kind words.
Thanks Toni. . .your letter is perfectly expressive of what we are feeling.
Now, find a little space of peace and even if just a few moments.
Big Hugs,
Shirl
Thanks Shirl for the calming words.
No wonder you are a teacher — you have one of the key talents — the ability to intelligently convey ideas even while feeling anger and frustration.
And I’m sure you don’t need to worry about your husband. We spouses of teachers know you need a way to release all the things that are built up and have to be held in during the day. We don’t mind because we know just how important you are and giving you an outlet for your feelings is our small contribution.
Thanks Andi. We have two more days until vacation, so barring any major outbreaks of violence, we’ll be fine. I have always thought that spouses of teachers deserve their own reward. Not only must you put up with the rants, but there are the endless papers to grade, the sporting events, the on the look for stuff for the class mentality that seems to permeate every shopping trip.
Hey, this time of year we do get our reward (well at least spouses of elementary teachers do) — getting to eat all the homemade goodies that the parents give to the teachers for Christmas.
I’ll be hoping to see you in the cafe over the break with bunches of cutie pie pictures of Andrew.
My husband teacher kindergarten and with him being in leave, we won’t get any boxes of chocolate this year. Even better, some parents used to give him wine.
I plan on plaster pictures of Andrew all over the place, so tune up you cute-o-meter.
and looking forward to testing its capacity.
I think it is high time for a campaign similar to Operation Yellow Feather. Fax bomb all our reps offices demanding Impeachment hearings now. I wrote my two senators(Boxer and DiFi) yesterday. My congresscritter resigned in shame so that’s a no go(Cunningham).
Have a wonderful holiday with your family Toni. Cherish Andrews first Christmas. Before you know it it will be his 20th Christmas.
Uh-oh, sound like another Booman Tribune action. We’re not the only lefty blog (outside of the Whisper Campaign) planning actions, are we?
20th Christmas – you stop that! He hasn’t even taken his first steps yet. Now take that back! 🙂
Ok…lol! I take it back but I know that of which I write. I vividly remember my son’s first Christmas and that was 34 years ago. Now I get to enjoy it all over again with my grandleexy and she will be nine next month. She took her first steps to me on her first Christmas. It just goes by all too quickly.
In a Constitutional Democracy, (especially one based on a constitution like ours), the very idea that the government seems to want us to to believe we should trust them is an illegitimate expectation on their part and a sure sign that our leaders have an extremely difficult time grasping the simple truth that they exist to serve us, not the other way around.
In our Constitutional Democracy, everyone is accountable to the law, even the president. And within our constitutional democracy, playing by the rules is ultimately always more important than winning one’s point by breaking those rules.
And when the leaders hold themselves unaccountable to the law, we no longer have democracy, we have tyranny.