WHERE DID WE LOSE OUR OBJECTIVITY?

I'm stumped.

Did a recent writer tell readers that "in a war, barbarous acts happen"?

Despite the person's perchance to shed some light on past history, did he or she forget about his or her objectivity?

Did he or she forget that we are supposed to be the good guys here?

Weren't we supposed to be fighting an enemy that our President said was a threat to our nation's security?

I think the term Bush used was 'islamofascists'. Catchy phrase, no? Wraps up everything we do in one tidy sum--don't you agree?

So...since we got that out of the way...when has it become acceptable to stoop to the same level as our enemy?

When did we start disregarding ourselves as human beings and start acting out the role of the bad guy here?

No matter what happens in this war, we can never lose our objectivity! We cannot go and start killing indiscriminately because we can no longer tell who the enemy is anymore! And simply taking out our mounting frustrations and rage on a civilian populace (armed to the teeth)--is not winning Iraqi 'hearts and minds'!

It is just proving once and for all that we are no better than the enemy we're supposed to be fighting!

Is this how we want to be remembered from this conflict? The Butchers of Baghdad?

Think about what we really stand for!

Are we compassionate and caring Americans, or are we just blood thirsty barbarians?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

BEHAVIOR AT RECEPTION IS APPALLING

Once again, the US shows its true colors by putting on such a dispicable display of hatred and racial intolerance when the Iranian President showed up for a speech at Columbia University recently.

Not only the protestors behavior, but the Columbian President whom chaired the reception. His intolerant behavior towards a foreign head of state is beyond description.

Is this how we treat everyone who visits the US from abroad, or is it just specific people we fear and loathe out of hatred and blind ignorance?

Nice to see that this is what America stands for nowadays.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

WHEN DID MURDER BECOME THE NORM?

I am absolutely appalled by some people's lack of morals when it comes to right or wrong.

After reading an article in the paper--in regards to a 22-year-old Marine's conviction in the apparent death of an Iraqi civilian--I wonder just where did some of his supporters leave their common sense?

In a tree? Behind a rock? Buried six feet under? Where did it go?

When did it become a celebrated event for a murderer to be cheered on as a war hero--because his direct actions led to the death of an innocent?

Can anyone explain to me why murdering Iraqis in cold blood is now considered a badge of honor for our serving men and women in uniform?

When did we stop being human beings and started acting like blood-thirsty animals? Are we wolves preying on the weak and helpless now?

Or are we going to start taking real responsibility by condemning those who have committed grave crimes against humanity--instead of rewarding them with a slap on the wrist and the Congressional Medal of Honor?

Until we stop treating Iraqi civilians like they are nothing more than the dirt beneath our feet, we will continue to take heavy losses and pain in this backwards war--each and every day for as long as this conflict lasts.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

CHANGING DEFINITIONS OF SUCCESS IS TROUBLING

Was it January or February that Bush said that he would be sending in a surge of troops to tamp down the violence and give the Malaki government breathing room to make important reforms and legislation?

Almost 9 months later, nothing's happened. At least, not according to the Bush administration.

When the GAO released its report along with the NIE, they both presented a stark reality for Bush's surge: Despite the troop increase, violence still remains high and the government has made zero progress in its drive for political reformity and unity.

It's police force rife with corruption and infiltration, and its security forces needed another 18 months to be ready. (Like the last assessment stated two years ago.)

Bothered by the reality of those findings, the Pentagon and the White House jumped into action and started changing things around. Things that were a failure before have been met with "satisfactory" results.

Just like General Petraeus's recent report to Congress: Everything was so rosy and full of bull ticky optimism.

And not a nary of negative reflection and pessimism over this drawn out conflict.

A friend of mine told me just recently: "If the government has to continue to change its definitions of success (or lowering the bar--as I call it)--just to make things look good--than it's already lost the war."

Then I remembered an earlier conflict that my father fought two tours in--and I said: "Yep. Just like Vietnam."

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Since Bush has declared victory with the recent surge of troops, can we call in the Abraham Lincoln--so that we can hear him say: "Major combat operations in Iraq are now over."?

I really missed that moment. Can we have a repeat of that historic day in 2003?

Please?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

WRITER DOESN'T VALUE PRIVACY IT SEEMS

Odd how the writer on one letter ("Liberals Let Murders Happen") openly attacks liberals and blames them for what happened at Virginia Tech.

Stranger still, he hasn't sought to link them to the Columbine massacre, or the Tacoma Mall shooting, or even the Stockton California school shooting which left 5 kids dead back in 1989; with 29 wounded--including one teacher.

As a result, an assault weapons ban was imposed; starting in 1994.

Is this the liberals fault for wanting to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of nut cases like Patrick Purdy?

In the case of Seung-Hui Cho, this kid may have been disturbed and isolated--but he wasn't like Purdy.

He was a student at Virginia Tech. Not a drifter. Not an illegal immigrant. But an American citizen!

Having the government free access to our medical and psychological history profiles would be inviting disaster on a scale that would dwarf anything we have fought and died for--these last 231 years: Our rights to absolute privacy.

The writer may be comfortable with this gross invasion of privacy, but I would never be.

And it shouldn't even be tinkered with. No matter what the circumstance!

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

SECTION 8 SQUEEZES THE DISABLED FOR MORE MONEY

I'm going to be shooting off a letter to my representative, but I thought that I should bring this matter to the attention of the Everett Herald first.

Facing homelessness or forced to eat the $254 for my portion of the rent--my mother-in-law came through at the last instant--and my bacon was saved once again.

At least for another year.

The problem is that for the last 4 years, I have watched my portion of the rent go from $91 a month to a staggering $254 a month now with the Everett Housing Authority. (And I only get $637 a month in disability).

I have been able to handle the increases easily in the past, but lately, they've become a financial burden for myself--since neither my wife or I have worked in 6 years.

I've done what I can to soften the blow. But I really don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Next year may be our last--especially if we have to suffer through another painful rent increase.

The heart of the problem is that we applied for a one-bedroom unit within our complex and was recently denied--even though our voucher was originally slated for a one-bedroom apartment. Housing claims that the space of the one-bedroom was "insufficient" for the asking price of $720 a month. (Which would've made my portion of the rent $111 a month--based on our cap of $609.)

I didn't have a problem with that. Really. I didn't. Both my wife and I desperately wanted this.

But $860 for an unremodeled, 2-bedroom apartment?

Ante up!

More for housing, less for me.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

TEACHERS SHOULD GET PAID MORE

As a former student, I must say I am heavily disappointed in the way teachers have been handled by the state--or by the federal government.

Has it ever occurred to people that teachers are the backbone of our social education? Without them, where would we all be?

And yet I hear from people is: "I don't want to pay more taxes!"

Can anyone give me one good reason as to why teachers shouldn't be paid more for their hard work? Why can't we give them the benefit of the doubt by giving them what they need to educate future generations?

Are we so stingy on money and funding that we have to force teachers to pay the lion's share in school supplies and other necessities--things which the state and federal governments deem to be unimportant?

Why can't people see this crisis as something which affects all of us? Or are we just naturally blind to the problem and hand?

Maybe we should continue to turn a blind eye and hope the problem goes away.

What is your opinion?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

REPUBLICANS CAN'T STOP SOCIAL EQUALITY

Why is it that Larry Craig hates admitting that yes, he himself is gay? Either open or in private, being gay isn't a crime.

It's a way of life. It can't be ignored. It can't be voted against. It can't be struck down as being a threat to society.

But for some odd reason, mainstream Republicans are homophobic to the extreme--while other more moderate Republicans--and even some conservative ones--have accepted that being gay or lesbian isn't so bad.

These same mainstream Republicans have shown their animosity towards gays and lesbians by voting against rights bills which would have a more beneficial to the gay and lesbian community.

Kansas has recently voted to protect state employees from discrimination based on gender orientation. An Iowa county had allowed gays and lesbians to marry. But as soon as that happened, the Republican anti-gay machine jumped into action and vowed to blunt and block what I have as seen as social progress.

Not because I want to see gay marriage happen (yet), but because society has changed more so than some people can handle.

Hence the hatred, bigotry, and gender intolerance based on sexual orientation--by the GOP.

Which is fine. This is a free country. But they can't stop the wheel of progress. Sooner or later, they are going to have to accept change as being part of our country's natural evolution.

Whether they like it or not.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX