WRONG MODEL FOR DEMOCRACY

Remember not too long ago that Bush said that South Korea was the model for Iraq's democracy?

Now he's gone (on record) and saying that Israel is the model for Iraq's democracy!

Um...

Considering the long string of atrocities Israel has perpetrated against the Palestinian people for the last four decades or so since 1948...

I don't think this "pro-Israeli"-democracy model would actually fit Iraq to a T.

Only because we would be asking--no--showcasing a rogue Jewish state in the Middle East whom has shown a complete disregard for human life--no matter what form it takes; and saying: "This is what freedom and democracy is all about!"

Is that what we are trying to tell the Iraqis? That's it okay to kill indiscriminately without human remorse?

I'm certain we all remember the failed attack against Hezbolah last year--where Israel deliberately targeted the civilian population of Lebanon--killing hundreds of people and then turning around and blaming it all on Hezbolah.

If this is the true model for future democracies--in the Middle East anyways--we seriously need to rethink our own democracy as well.

Because we are on the wrong path here.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

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BUSH IS LIKE REAGAN AFTER ALL!

Notice anything distinctly odd about Bush's approach to the illegal immigration legislation?

Well, let me fill you in on what I'm seeing here:

Bush says that the only way we can get comprehensive reform legislation passed first and foremost--is that we have to give all these 12 million illegal immigrants a 'path to citizenship.' (In my book, that spells AMNESTY.)

But where's the border and immigration law enforcement legislation? Why isn't Bush pushing so hard on those two fronts?

And the simple answer is this: Because he doesn't want to.

Border enforcement would entail spending billions more securing our borders and making sure that those illegal immigrants are caught and dealt with appropriately. Sounds kosher, right?

Not going to happen.

Immigration law enforcement would entail enacting the current laws on the books and punishing businesses and corporations alike (*cough*! WALL-MART!) who hire such illegal immigrants under the table--and don't report it on their yearly tax forms.

Think this will happen?

Not in a million years.

So what's Bush's solution? Amnesty first, border control second, and immigration law enforcement dead last.

In essence, we're going backwards yet again on this matter.

But what's even ironic about this whole affair is that one other past President (named Ronnie) tried the same thing...say...18 years ago, was it?

And look at what happened once that bill took effect: Hiyo...musami!

(Hello...mustard?)

Wait, that's Japanese.

Wrong language. I meant to say something else, but it came out wrong. How do you say 42 million illegal immigrants in Spanish anyway?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

WHY MUST THE POOR AND DISABLED SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF RENTERS?

I recently read the Sunday edition of the Herald--and was stunned by what's trespassing for sky-high rents and outrageous condo conversions.

I never thought for instant that last year, we had over 1,500 condo conversions from apartment complexes alone in Snohomish County. But it would certainly explain why some of the complexes near where I live in Woodland Heights (now Timberline Courts) have suddenly gone "condo-crazy". (And I'm worried mine's next.)

But then I saw how much rent is for some of these "converted" apartments, and I just about fell off my chair. How can any sane man, woman, or child be able to afford these "luxury" prices on their stagnant and falling wages--as a family?

And what about the poor and the disabled? What happens to them? What happens to people like me whom can't afford between $800 and $1200 a month for a 2-bedroom apartment--and are barely making it on housing assistance?

Getting a job is besides the point--especially when the bulk of our jobs here in Snohomish County still rely on minimum-wage. Has renters ever considered this when jacking up the price of a one-bedroom unit? Or a two-bedroom?

Or is this the county's way of driving out everyone but the super-rich and wealthy who can afford to spend such money on these fool's gold ventures?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

WAR BY NUMBERS, WE'VE LOST THE CONFLICT

This letter is by no means giving 'comfort and aide' to the enemy--but rather a stark reality in which this war has been waged thus far to date.

Consider this factoid: 10,000 US and Iraqi "troops" recently started a series of operations designed to kill and eliminate Al-Qaida forces in and around Baghdad.

From what happened in the three days since the launch of one operation, media reports and the US military have confirmed the death of only 22 enemy "combatants".

That's it? Only 22?!? It takes 10,000 US and Iraqi "troops" to hammer the area in and around Baghdad, and we only kill 22 Iraqi insurgents? And let the bulk of Al-Qaeda of Iraq's leadership to escape--AGAIN--on top of that?

Wow. This is soooo impressive!

Really!

At the rate we're going, we aren't going to make one single dent in the embedded Iraqi insurgency for at least twenty more years--if we keep having "victories" like this.

Because if this is all we can hope for, then we have no realistic chance of getting out of this lost conflict in one piece.

It really will make Vietnam look like a 'cakewalk'!

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

FROZEN FETUSES MORE IMPORTANT THAN MEDICAL SCIENCE?

really must applaud George Bush's continuing vetos of progress in finding cures and vaccines for not just Americans, but people afflicted with a host of debilitating conditions and diseases.

I guess preserving frozen embryos is more important than someone who is clearly suffering from a life-changing disease like Parkinson's, or Lou Gherig's Disease.

After all, we don't want these frozen and lifeless treasures of humanity to feel any pain, now do we?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

JUSTICE IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT

Can I be granted amnesty or get a Presidential pardon whenever I break the law--starting right now?

I'm sure that it's possible. I mean, after all, Bush wants to give 12 million lawbreaking illegal immigrants amnesty for their crimes committed against the American public--at the expense of the American taxpayer.

So where can I get that kind of a deal?

Then there's Scooter Libby who is deigned to spend some time in jail for obstruction of justice and lying to the feds. Last I checked--depending on the offense--it was usually 10 years in jail and a $500,000 fine.

But he's only getting 30 months.

And look! He's also looking to getting a Presidential pardon on top of that--all thanks to Bush!

No time served if he's lucky!

Wow! Can I have what he's having? Can I lie, cheat, and steal my through life, and be given immunity for my crimes afterwards?

After all, it's worked for the rich and powerful. People like Paris Hilton. So why can't it work for people like me?

Oh, that's right: I'm poor, insignificant, and I don't have any name-recognition or wealth afforded to me whatsoever.

Gods...American justice sucks sometimes.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

TROOPS BETTER EQUIPPED AT KILLING INNOCENTS THAN TERRORISTS

No matter what goes on in Iraq, I'm been hearing that the Iraqis are suffering worse under our rule than they did when Saddam was alive.

But what gets my goat is the fact that some writers--and some people--believe that whenever a US soldier indiscriminately kills an Iraqi civilian, they are quick to point out that that soldier was just "doing his duty", or "this is war", and they should be getting a parade or a medal for their actions.

Really?

For what? For Private Green gunning down a family in cold blood last year, after raping an Iraqi girl, and then trying to cover up the incident by setting them all on fire?

Should we give that private the Medal of Honor for his actions? I'm sure that would be just great, wouldn't it?

A nice fat medal...?

Or how about those soldiers whom were responsible for massacring 24 unarmed Iraqis in Haditha? Or how about the recent incident where 3 Iraqi children were killed by a Bradley tank?

Should we give that tank crew a standing ovation, a ticker-tape parade, and a series of medals for ending the lives of those three kids?

Should we?

Yes.

Instead of fighting amongst ourselves, we should be congratulating our troops for snuffing out the lives of those civilians--while we constantly blame Al-Qaeda and the Sunni-led insurgency for our indiscriminate acts of terrorism against the Iraqi people.

After all, our military is better trained at killing people than any terrorist group I know.

Sure, bin Laden bagged himself 3000 dead Americans on 9-11, but how many dead Iraqi civilians have we really killed over the last 5.5 years while in Iraq?

And how many will we continue to kill in the years to come?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

TERROR PLOTS MORE FAKE THAN REAL-LIFE ONES

Let me see if I have this right.

3 alleged 'terrorists' from Guyana and Trinidad want to somehow blow up fuel lines connected to the JFK airport--and cause an even more fantastic 9-11-styled attack--but had no operational plan in the works, no explosives in hand, and had no way of carrying out the plot realistically...(because the pipelines were too well constructed to allow such an explosion to take place anyway--according to pipeline experts.)

But it was somehow 'real'--based on the word of a drug-trafficking informant who signed on just to get a lighter sentence in return?

Just who is the fool who believes these so-called plots actually had a chance in heck of getting pulled off? Anyone?

Or do we still somehow believe that fictional 'liquid explosives' could magically be used to blow up planes too? Or a pizza delivery guy could be capable of killing hundreds of soldiers at a high-security military base in New Jersey--using only a pair of automatic weapons?

Our government is playing you people for saps--hoping you'll take the bait with each an every plot conveniently "uncovered" in the last year or so.

And apparently some of you have: Based on one writer's letter--believing that Bush somehow stopped an 'actual' terror attack.

Please!

If another 9-11 happened, Bush wouldn't see the writing on the wall until it was too late. And neither would our intel agencies.

That's fact. That's reality. All these fake plots perpetrated by our own government and its entourages are just designed to fool the people and keep them scared, and in line. And it's working.

How sad.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

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