[Vision2020] My views

Tue Nov 2 01:19:55 PST 2004

Let me sum up Ms. Kraut's beliefs in one sentence. "We should vote based on 
what terrorists think".

I disagree. Let the terrorists think whatever they want. I am for one am not 
casting my ballot on the bases of second guessing what is going on in the 
mind of some guy that wants death to all  Americans. I want someone that is 
going to win the war, end the war, and also not forget about the people here 
in the United States. I want someone that is going to hunt down and kill 
UBL. I don't want someone that says, "I am not concerned about him". If 
someone wanted to use logic, I am willing to bet UBL would much rather have 
someone in office that isn't concerned about him and drives up oil prices so 
he makes a fortune over someone that wants to kill him.

I do see why someone would try to make the argument that UBL would be worse 
off with Bush in office because it seems that most people have been worse 
off since he took office.

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold

>From: "Pat Kraut" <pkraut at moscow.com>
>To: "vision2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>CC: Mike Cahill <celtcahill at yahoo.com>, Rich Kraut <rakraut at adelphia.net>,  
>  Keely Cahill <keelycahill at HOTMAIL.COM>,   Grant Lawrence 
><glawrence at cgalaska.uscg.mil>,   Rebecca Cahill <mom43688 at msn.com>, Darren 
>Kraut <darren.kraut at cox.net>,   Amy Kraut <akrautmom at adelphia.net>,   
>JOLEEN CAHILL <JOLEENCAHILL at HOTMAIL.COM>,   Kerry Cahill 
><kerrycahill23 at HOTMAIL.COM>
>Subject: [Vision2020] My views
>Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2004 22:10:15 -0800
>
>Today we will vote in an election that truly matters. Because America is at
>a once in a generation crossroads, more than an election hangs in the
>balance. Down one path lies retreat, abdication and a reign of ambivalence.
>Down the other lies a nation that is aware of its past and accepts the
>daunting obligation its future demands. If we choose poorly, the
>consequences will echo through the next 50 years of history. If we, in a
>spasm of frustration, turn out the current occupant of the White House, the
>message to the world and ourselves will be two-fold.
>First, we will reject the notion that America can do big things. Once a
>nation that tamed a frontier, stood down the Nazis and stood upon the moon,
>we will announce to the world that bringing democracy to the Middle East is
>too big a task for us. But more significantly, we will signal to future
>presidents that as voters, we are unwilling to tackle difficult challenges,
>preferring caution to boldness, embracing the mediocrity that has
>characterized other civilizations. We will tell the world that in other
>countries people can be gassed, raped, maimed, put into extreme poverty for
>the sake of the leaders 'homes' and we will not care or come to the rescue
>in any form. Oh, we might go to the UN and ask them to tell them to stop,
>but we won't really do anything to help. We will stay in our comfort and do
>nothing. The defeat of President Bush will send a chilling message to 
>future
>presidents who may need to make difficult, yet unpopular decisions. America
>has always been a nation that rises to the demands of history regardless of
>the costs or appeal. If we turn away from that legacy, we turn away from 
>who
>we are.
>Second, we inform every terrorist organization on the globe that the lesson
>of Somalia was well learned. In Somalia we showed terrorist that you don't
>need to defeat America on the battlefield when you can defeat them in the
>newsroom. They learned that a wounded America can become a defeated 
>America.
>Twenty-four-hour news stations and daily tracking polls will do the heavy
>lifting, turning a cut into a fatal blow. Except that Iraq is Somalia times
>10. The Election of John Kerry will serve notice to every terrorist in 
>every
>cave that the soft underbelly of American power is the timidity of American
>voters. Terrorists will know that a steady stream of grizzly photos of CNN
>is all you need to break the will of the American people. Our own 
>self-doubt
>will take it from there. Bin Laden will recognize that he can topple any
>American administration with out setting foot on the homeland.
>It is said that America's WWII generation is its 'greatest generation'. But
>my greatest fear is that is will become known as America's 'last 
>generation'
>. Born in the bleakness of the Great Depression and hardened in the fire of
>WWII, they may be the last American generation that understands the meaning
>of duty, honor and sacrifice. It is difficult to admit, but I know these
>terms are spoken with only hollow detachment by many (but not all) in my
>generation.
>Too many citizens today mistake  'living in American' as 'being an 
>American'
>. But America has always been more of an idea than a place. When you sign
>on, you do more than buy real estate. You accept a set of values and
>responsibilities.
>This November, each generation, which has been absent too long, must grasp
>the obligation that comes with being an American, or fade into the oblivion
>they may deserve. I believe that 100 years from now, or even sooner,
>historians will look back at the election of 2004 and see it as the 
>decisive
>election of our century. Depending on the outcome, they will describe it as
>the moment America joined the ranks of ordinary nations; or they will
>describe it as the moment the prodigal sons and daughters, grandsons and
>grandaughters of the greatest generation accepted their burden as 
>caretakers
>of the City on the Hill.
>
>
>
>
>"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so 
>long
>at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for 
>us."
>Helen Keller
>
>
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