The Invasive Emotion

On the net I found a web site called "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" It is an email site for public views to be sent to government or media. It took me back to the movie of the same name. It was about how marvelous to live in America and not only have the right to express our views, but are encouraged to do so. How many countries governments have that attitude? Today, many decades since the movie we still have that opportunity and are still fortunate to be Americans.

The only thing that will insure we as Americans continue to have such freedoms is if, when we see it in danger we use those freedoms to alert the citizens and government. Today America is in danger from many sources. but only one of them has the ability to truly threaten our freedom.

The war on terrorism is very crucial to the well being of America and the world, but the terrorists do not threaten our freedoms. There is the problem of Iraq; it is also very imperative we and the free world solve that problem. There is the broader Middle Eastern quagmire. all of those problems must be dealt with to insure a safer world. Though they are grave problems and hold much danger, none qualify as the most dangerous to American freedoms or governmental system.

Only if the threat of those world problems is used as leverage to weaken our Constitution and Bill Of Rights from with in, whether knowingly or or as the consequence of poorly conceived strategy to deal with terrorism, Iraq, or the broader problem can they threaten our freedom or government system.

The "Us and Them mind set" is the most dangerous threat to America's freedoms and government system. It is involved in and under mines the political process, industry, race relations, and media government relations. "The U.S. and Them mind set' engenders disrespect and dampens empathy. It has become active and has defeated inhibition toward aggressive thoughts and actions aimed at others who disagree with or hold different opinions. It does not always manifest itself in the physical form. It may express itself through words or writing. Emotion becomes a catalyst to disrespect's aggressions and further inhabits empathy raising the people to a state of self righteousness‘. At that point they are so far to the right there is no wrong, or so far left there is no right. That is our worst and most insidious enemy.

Very sincerely, R8D. Marshall