Bedford, MA 01730
September 14, 2004
Dear Senator Kerry,
I am a liberal. I believe George W. Bush is the worst U.S. president in many years, and that our country will be paying for his mistakes for a long time. I think President Bush is a right-wing ideologue whose "compassionate conservatism" is a lie. He is, in my view, a mean conservative. I believe he is also not smart enough and not well educated enough to make sound decisions about complex matters. On top of all this, there is a good argument he is an international war criminal for going to war against a country that was not threatening us.
Nevertheless, I am tempted to vote for Mr. Bush in the upcoming election. The reason: at least I know what he is. He is a hypocritical, simplistic neoconservative. Mr. Kerry, I want to give you my vote, but I don't know where you stand. For example...
- You have consistently voted pro-choice on the abortion question. Yet you recently stated you personally believe human life begins at conception. If this is indeed your belief, then you must also believe that all abortions are murder; it is the only logical conclusion. Have you been voting for something you believe is immoral? Or do you not really think conception is equivalent to full human life?
- During the 1970s, you said atrocities by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam were commonplace. ("... not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command.") Do you still believe this? If so, please stand firm about what you said then. If you now feel you were wrong, please say so and apologize.
- In the Senate, you voted in favor of the current war against Iraq. Do you now consider this vote a mistake? If so, please say that, and tell us why you made this mistake.
- Are you in favor of gay marriage? I simply cannot figure out where you stand on this one.
- Do you think President Bush is a war criminal for his unilateral attack on Iraq? If you do, say so. If you do not think so, tell me why.
- Some Roman Catholic bishops have said you should not receive communion because you have voted for legalized abortion. Do you think these bishops are wrong? If you do, please say so. If you think the bishops' position is proper, then announce you will not be taking communion anymore.
If you come clean about these issues (and others) and tell
us what you really think, you may still lose the election for president. But at
least you will lose trying to be a leader instead of a politician.
Sincerely,
Chuck Connell
Bedford, MA
781-939-0505 (office)