Lulu Speaks Out

Lulu is a friend of mine. On her blog, she posted a rebuttal to one of many mindless pseudo-patriotic letters floating around in cyber space. The letter and the full text of her post can be found at:

http://www.geocities.com/lulupallooza/032006.html

Excerpts from her post follow:

I realize this may not be a popular opinion, but I DO CARE. I don't have it in me to hate people based on what some … people have done in their lifetimes.

I don't hate all "white" people for all but eliminating American Indians from "our" land.

I don't hate all "black" people for the crime rates that are up in some areas.

I don't hate all Germans because of Hitler and his regime.

I don't hate the people who believe in their bible and their God …, but believe people of a different race, religion or God forbid if they make love to someone of their own sex, are going to hell.

I refuse to hate the people who wear Confederate Flags proudly, even though the meaning of that flag to many people equals pure hatred for the black people of America. (Much like the swastika that Nazi's wore … it started out as a benign symbol, but became a symbol of a "superior" race, or in other words, ignorance. As someone brought up by the Jewish faith, the swastika still scares me, but when I see it, my first thought is still that the person sporting the symbol is ignorant).

I don't hate people who blindly follow our President (current or past, Republican or Democrat) without questioning his motives.

I don't hate the soldiers who did their jobs, following orders of their boss, the President, to destroy a nation that had never threatened the United Utates and yes, I mean Iraq.

And I DO NOT HATE everyone who practices Islam because a bunch of cowards who share the same religion used it as an excuse to murder thousands of people on September 11.

So yes, I care. I care that prisoners of war were mistreated, because that meant the American Soldiers involved failed to do their jobs….

I care that the Koran was desecrated, because I wouldn't desecrate your bible and wouldn't expect you to desecrate others.

I care that our tax dollars are being spent on war, but that while that is happening they are cutting back the pay that the soldiers and their families get for being out there.

More than anything, I care for the men and women who are fighting for their country (regardless of which country they are fighting for). I hope that for their sake and the sake of their families that they come home safely to the ones who love them. I hope their lives return to normal.

I hope that after this is all said and done, they and the people affected (which in my opinion is ALL of us) do some research and CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK the things they hear on TV, the radio, their neighbors and yes, even MY email/blog entry.