Reply #60: To those who are upset about these photos: I want to confess...

[Peace Patriot]

...something. I have not been able to read ANY news article about Iraq, nor look at any photos, since 11/2. It is just too upsetting and disempowering, since I can do nothing about it.

If I am not willing to go to Iraq and personally intervene, at the risk of my life, nor go on a hunger fast, nor incinerate myself like the Buddhist monks did in Vietnam during the Vietnam war, nor pour my own blood on military hardware and otherwise present myself for arrest--as people like Frs. Ted and Daniel Berrigan, and others, did, during Vietnam, and like some Catholic Workers are still doing today--personally putting their bodies and lives on the line as witness against atrocity--then...

...I have to do what I can do. And that is Election Fraud and Election Reform.

The American people rejected this fascist regime and its war. They still reject it--by nearly 60% in recent opinion polls. But their will was not done. It was defied, and the election stolen.

So, this is not so such a matter of Americans' callousness. Yes, some are callous. But a majority are not, and they said "NO"! It's a matter of POWERLESSNESS--and to some extent despair and feelings of helplessness.

I want to do everything I can to enforce that "NO!"--to help people know what happened to their vote, and to empower them with something specific they can do--something doable.

They need to know WHY it's still going on, and why they're now spoiling for MORE invasions, more destruction. The "why" is election fraud.

Yesterday, only 13 members of Congress were willing to represent the MAJORITY of the people on this matter (on rejecting Condoleeza Rice, the architect of this slaughter). I praise them. I think that's progress. But 13? --with so many Americans against the war.?

Why is that? The "why" of that is Election Fraud.

Anyway, that's where I'm at, emotionally. I just wanted to say this for those who may be feeling something similar--especially activists.

I do NOT mean don't circulate the photos as widely as possible--not at all! The callous need to be stirred, and the forgetful reminded. Some portion of Americans DO tend to be oblivious. And it was pictures from Iraq at the BBC and other news sites that got ME into the election campaign. After Dean got hit (who was so right on about everything), I wasn't crazy about Kerry (because he voted for the Iraq war, when many others in Congress--124 of them--more savvy than he, better informed, and less political, did not). But I could see that we MUST get Bush out, and put a decent, intelligent man in--the kind of man who might be moved by these horrors, and would work to stop them.

So, for those who are asleep, or callous, or oblivious, yes, of course, circulate them. And also just for WITNESS. That this happened. That this is what it means.