My letter for tomorrow's mail

[DebiCates]

Here is my letter I'm sending in tomorrow's mail. I know one letter isn't going to change US foreign policy. But if the White House and Congress were to be inundated with letters, then let mine (and yours?) be among them.

Dear President Bush,

We need a cease fire in Lebanon now.

Not two days from now, not a week from now, not a month from now. The longer we support this unrestrained aggression the more alienated from our own allies we become, the more complex the political situation becomes, the more Lebanese families suffer gravely and needlessly.

Please do the moral, the Christian, the humanitarian, the politcally-savvy, and, for heaven's sake, the common-sense thing: support and help negotiate a cease fire in Lebanon now.

Respectfully submitted,

[DebiCates]

I have read before that letters to the president sent by snail mail, rather than email or form letters, have more impact.



You are welcome to view the post card I sent today.
Front:
www.dreamblanket.com/debi/blog/freedomfromfear.jpg
Back:
www.dreamblanket.com/debi/blog/freedomfromfearback.jpg

The painting on the front by Norman Rockwell was part of a series, titled the "Four Freedoms" Those freedoms are timeless. Freedom from Want, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, and of course the one I selected, Freedom from Fear. You can see in the hand of the father a newspaper, with a title that includes "Bombings" and "Horror." Although painted in 1943, sadly the same headlines could be in today's morning paper.

The stamp I selected from a recent USPS commemoration set of American photographers. Lewis W Hine was the photographer for the under priviledged. This particular photo (again, from the first half of the 1900s), could easily be a family fleeing South Lebanon.

I am certain that the president will not see this postcard. I understand that basically politicians have staff that open mail and tally them by content. (Pro this, anti that) and those numbers, if anything, is what they report to the recipient.

But what if the president was overwhelmed with letters? That would possibly catch his attention as to the will and concerns of the American people. I invite you to join me. You do not have to have the perfect stationery or stamp, just write a few lines and do it right now, today. Don't let the lobbyists and extremists be the only ones with impact on the policies of a democracy. Let your voice be heard.

Peace and love,
Debi

[shelleywebster]

Hi all,
Another letter...

"Dear Sir, Madam,

May I suggest you look at what the Moslem communities, back benchers, the opposition, and what the Arab news media are saying? Having done so you will appreciate that failure to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities is fuelling the current regional instability.

There is already a UN resolution which will address the problem - 1559. The tactic of calling for a new UN Resolution is a device to delay cessation of the offensive against Lebanon. It is a convenient fiction to call this a war against Hezbollah, for it is the entirety of Lebanon that has been affected.

Lebanon is about 100 miles long at its' longest point and 50 miles wide at its' widest point. The international news media talk of South Lebanon as if it is far away from Beirut, but in fact it is a little like suggesting there is a significant distance between London and towns in the South East that are 40 to 50 miles away.

Farms and food distribution depots that served the whole region have been destroyed. Trucks carrying food run the risk of being targeted by missiles from planes and helicopters. Electricity and water supplies have been disrupted.

People who are not terrorists are trapped because of the Israeli bombing of main roads, petrol stations, ambulances and convoys. The response of Israel is to say they were leafleted and warned to leave the bombarded areas. They were, but only after the escape routes were destroyed. In the interim the Israelis willl not allow safe corridors for humanitariuan aid, or safe passage out of the targeted villages.

The latest headlines on the BBC web site this morning: - "Dozens of people have been killed or injured in an Israeli air strike on a building near the southern Lebanese town of Qana".

Qana today - where tomorrow?

Don't ignore the Arab view of Ms Rice: President Signora has told her not to come to Beirut until a ceasefire has been acheived. She is now pretending she cancelled the trip!
The Lebanese Shia militia's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said Ms Rice had returned to serve the interests of the US and Israel.

As I write this letter there is mass protest in Beirut against the UN, and anger at the British and Americans for allowing the bombardments to continue unabated. An Israeli army spokesman talked of hundreds of sorties a day being waged against Lebanon. What does proportionality mean in your world exactly?

Please do not just follow the party line but step back and really think about whether the approach being adopted by President Bush and Mr Blair is the right one, or whether it is merely to indulge President Bush and his Israeli alllies.

The current US and official UK policy is bringing together Shia, Sunni and extremists as no one has done since the first world war (TE Lawrence). The moderate Arab World (Moslem and Christain alike) is increasingly angry about what is happening.

Lebanon is suffering terribly and it is conceivable that it will not be long before Syria's scrub and desert could become the next killing field as the conflict widens to include Iran. The US and UK troops in Afghanistan and Iraq will be the targets of concerted efforts to expel them. Syria could be invaded by US troops out of Iraq, in abid to assist the Israelis from another front.

This is not pie in the sky, but is a real risk that Washington seems comfortable taking. One cannot but wonder whether this is something President Bush actually wants. Whilst you relax in comfort and security, just spend a few moments contemplating how long your security is likely to last if you do not take decisive action to stop the carnage now.

Yours etc."


Send as far and wide as your courage and webserver allow!

xx
Shelley