Tuesday, May 30, 2006
From: Chelle Stockman
California
To: Congressman John Murtha
Dear Sir:
Today like so many other days, I woke burdened by the multi-tiered plight of our country. (I'm reminded of an old nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty.) I was first treated to British news which reported the annulment of an EU-US agreement which required airlines to transfer passenger data to US authorities. I researched to find if we violated any rights of those abroad and found some 50 cases. The one that had the most profound affect upon me pertained to a University professor of cryptography in Spain, Dr. Arturo Quirantes Sierra. After reading for a few hours, I grew sad that our country's sins in the name of fighting terror are creating terror for many around the world as well as for us.
Secondly, I was treated to the news playing on the television in the background that addressed the civilian deaths at the hands of our Marines and the Pat Tillman story. I half heartedly listened as I continued my avenue of research and did so at all because my eldest goes off to Ft. Benning, Georgia upon his high school graduation. I wondered what he would do if his squad went on an enraged carnage as the Marines are reported to have done. I kept finding one disappointing truth after another from our EU trade agreements-- letters to the EU containing demands and letters to the congress that were supposed to be a copy of the same but read a little different; and also the history of Secretary of Treasury Posts since G.W. Bush became our president. The outlook was bleak to speak lightly of such serious subjects.
I began to pray, sir. I wanted to know why so many cover-ups, non-disclosures and out right lies are coming out of this administration. My acquaintances around the world say America is living her darkest moment since her formation. The answer came to me in a still voice-my inner dialog during times of great woes. It said, "You asked me for truth. You cried out for truth to manifest. I delivered to you certain truths; now what are you going to do with this information?"
I began writing in my blogs about some of the information I came upon trusting that somewhere someone would see it. I tell ya Sir, it's as though I'm a salmon swimming upstream in a polluted river hoping to lay a few eggs. I heard your name mentioned as "coming right up." I listened to you as I always do. Your words have resonance with me. I appreciate your bravery coming against our sins in times when people are dirtied in order to be removed.
You spoke about accountability and peace keeping on the ground. It was peace keeping I breathed in deeply and I whispered, "Peace." Our ground troops are essential in peace keeping missions. If it were about massacre we'd have attacked by air and been done. We must train our soldiers equally in peace keeping and local negotiations which involves knowing the customs of indigenous people of the regions we are deployed to.
I love you John Murtha. You make me feel like an American once again. I'm sorry to be so uncharacteristically emotional, but I'm buckling under the pressure as I sit hoping truth will prevail and that we the American people are brave enough to handle the truth. Lead us sir as a Representative of the People. Continue long on our behalf unlike the presidents who I'm coming to believe are nothing more than the sales force for an unseen but felt oligarchy.
Sincerely,
Chelle Stockman