Dear John,
It breaks my heart to tell you this, but, I’m afraid that it's over between us. Please don’t be too sad, it’s really for the best. Something’s changed, you’ve changed, and we just don’t have anything in common anymore. I can only hope that, in the end, I’ll remember you for your positive attributes rather than the nasty ones that are so fresh in my mind.
I’ll never forget the John I once respected...those steely eyes, that bold independence, your maverickeyness...and the way you drew me in close and whispered “country first,” just took my breath away. You were a hero, a partner in patriotism. I miss you already!
Actually, I’ve been missing you for months, years perhaps. I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the way you changed. Though the shift began years ago, the metamorphosis was complete only recently...and now, it’s like I don’t even know you anymore!
All of a sudden, “Mr. Independent” morphed into “Mr. Anything to Win”...which transformed “Mr. Patriot” into “Mr. The Ends Justify the Means,” and that guy has, apparently, ceded his independence to the higher powers of “the party,” a group notorious for pitting Americans against their fellow Americans as a means to gluttonous personal gains.
The man they have turned you into is not the man I once admired. The John I fell for was a principled man who stood up for what he believed was right. The John I respected was a patriot and would never have accepted the type of gutter politics that aims to destroy the social fabric of his beloved America...my beloved America.
It just doesn’t seem like you to embrace a campaign of fear and hate and the fact that you have is very disappointing! You have painted your opponent as an Anti-American, terrorist-sympathizing, Commie socialist who wants to destroy this country, while knowing full well that it isn’t true. Shame on you! Worse yet, you have remained quiet when the mere mention of his name engenders shouts from the crowd of “kill him” and “terrorist.” At a time when unity and national pride is so critically important, silence is the least patriotic response of all.
At the end of this campaign you will return to a comfortable life and your independent ways, but the fear and division that your campaign has incited in some of your followers will stay with them. You know, it only takes one trigger-happy nut to do the unthinkable and unless you, as the current leader of your party, do something to squelch the anger and hatred that your ill-conceived tactics have fomented, you, sir, will share some responsibility if President Obama meets the same fate as JFK.
I therefore implore you, my dear John, to do the right thing and stop the madness. Stop the name calling and help heal this fractured nation. Start acting like the patriot I know you to be.
“Country first,” you say...well, my friend, it’s time to put country before “self.”
You say you want to change “politics as usual.” Then do it! Stand before the American people and denounce the forces that are tearing apart our exquisite democracy and weakening our mighty nation. Apologize for the fear and division you have inspired. Calm the crazies whom you have motivated to violence with the trash talking.
Setting the record straight, i.e., that Obama is not some scary “other” that must be feared, might even help you salvage your reputation. Don’t forget, your legacy is on the line here.
Before you jumped on the Rovian Way and allowed your bid for the highest office in the land to devolve into slanderous innuendo and incendiary rhetoric, you would have been remembered as an American Hero and as a well-respected U.S. Senator. There would be a list of your bi-partisan accomplishments and photos of a courageous young soldier, the POW who survived the horrors of a 5-year nightmare in the Hanoi Hilton. Instead, those honors will be the footnote, and you will be remembered as the presidential candidate who, in his desperation, abandoned everything he believed to be good and right about America, and ran a campaign that appealed to the basest fears of his constituents. You will be remembered as a man who, in the end, did not put his country first.
And that, too, is a crying shame.
Formerly yours,
Jane Q. Patriot
2 comments:
Jane QP I could not agree more. I used to respect John for who he was. You knew what you got with him and I trusted him to be just what he claimed to be. Now I can't imagine what has happened. I even think that once this is all over if you ask him to reflect on who he has become he would apologize. It is like he has been getting bad advice and just keeps saying yes without even thinking. I wonder when he looks in the mirror if he recognizes himself... To add insult to injury, he picked a VP running mate that is so far from what is required in terms of experience and just a world view it is insane. This has nothing with it being a woman and I tend to get offended when people accuse those of us who disagree with his choice of being sexist. The simple reality is this. If it was a man I'd be saying the exact same things. SP is not only an insult to the office of VP but she even thinks she could be President. What the hell is John doing and seriously does he even get it anymore. Talk about a candidate being tested... I know a few folks from China so does this mean I should be a diplomat?
At the end of the day I really believe America has lost her way. The rest of the world counts on us being Americans. That experiment started 232 years ago that held so much hope for the rest of the world. We have lost our own vision when the wife of a presidential candidate questions the patriotism of someone who questions America. She is so dumb that she forgot what the men and women in all our wars were fighting for. It is our right to question our government and we have an obligation to do so. Cindy go back and read your history books and see if you can get it right next time.
R
Wow. All very true, all very significant, all very scary. Well, we did it! It is now November 5th and Obama is officially president. However I feel, especially in response to your letter, that I refrain from saying "we," as if two different teams exist here in America. This is not the case, as whoever is elected must be accepted by all Americans, and not just those who voted on his (again let me cover my bases...or her) side. Instead let me use the passive voice and replace "We did it" with "It was done!" No matter how one phrases it, Obama is now our leader, our worldwide representative, our president.
As you so rightfully state, it is now up to McCain to show his support, and reunite this country as a union, rather than two different ends of a see-saw. I think McCain did a marvelous job in his speech tonight (now last night) of assuring his supporters that being in Barack's hands is not such a terrible thing. I think if Barack can gain the trust from those who might not normally trust him, he will be able to accomplish his goals and in doing so, show the skeptics that he and his ideals are for real, and their benefits can be lasting.
While this election has obvious and immediate significance regarding civil rights and party lines, I think Obama has an opportunity to transcend this divide between "left" and "right" and show that his dreams are best for America, which is something that both sides of the fence can agree on. More people like you need to speak up, and speak louder, no matter where they stand. It is this discourse, this debate, that will soothe this hateful divide. When ideas and conflicts are separated they grow more passionate and more extreme and when they do confront each other the result is nasty, hateful politics, as you describe to be the process John McCain underwent.
So kudos to you and I hope you inspire further rapport on the matter.
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