Putting my money where my pen is...

Yes, kids I HAVE written scathing letters of disapproval to my representatives...HAVE YOU?

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Dear Congressman LaTourette,

I am writing to you to voice my concern and frustration over many things.

I did not vote for you - nor do I ever plan to vote for you, mainly because I don't think you are capable of doing the job I expect or want my representative to do (and am entitled to as a citizen)- and, so far you have not disappointed me in this regard. I am sure you will stop reading this letter at this point - so surprise me (as well as yourself), and read on...

I will do everything in my power by exercising my voting rights and using my voice to make sure you and other members of the congress and senate are voted out if you continue to support the man that is currently inhabiting the Oval Office. I'd call him *my* president but he's not - and he is (in my humble opinion), leading this country to ruin.

This is not meant to be a threatening letter. I am very angry however, at how my rights as a citizen seem to be disappearing and I feel helpless to stop it - other than letting you and my other representatives know that I will campaign against your re-instatement as a motivated citizen and a registered voter.

I am a woman, I am pro-choice, I vote - it's pretty simple - you have no right to take away *my* right to determine what is good for my body. That’s a private decision between me, my doctor and my creator (if I believe in one at all). Your religious mores mean nothing to me - they never have, they never will. I am increasingly apprehensive that this country is turning into a religious-based country and that is definitely NOT what our founding fathers wanted. My beliefs are private between myself and my creator and they don't need to be legislated nor do I appreciate anyone else's religiosity being rammed down my throat or in my face and that is exactly what is taking place here. I am tolerant, translation: I have gay friends and I believe they should be allowed to show their love for one another by getting married. It’s not a man/woman thing – it’s a love thing. How very unprogressive of you to think otherwise. They are humans. They love. They are entitled to the same rights as any other humans in love. You can’t mandate love – if you are so hell-bent on being concerned for the sanctity of marriage why not make it harder to get divorced? Or is that around the corner for us as citizens as well – to remove even more of our rights? It’s legislating our privacy and our sex lives – is that really any one else’s business? I certainly don’t think it is.

I am also a pacifist - I am against the war in Iraq. I am against all war - but especially this one. It is baseless and a fools errand - there was no reason to go to war with Iraq other than for the obvious - as a vendetta played out using humans as sacrificial lambs to satisfy George Bush and his daddy. And all for oil? Almighty oil. Do you have a son or daughter sir? Are they in danger over there? It's time to bring our troops home. Enough is enough.

We need to, as an assurance this will not happen again, cease our dependence on foreign oil because - and here's a clue - we are basically supporting the very terrorists you and the others in the congress and senate claim are a danger to us - we are lining their pockets and funding *their* war - how smart is that? It's time to make renewable energy resources, and other things that matter - a top priority in this country.

We are spending more money than we have - is that not of concern to you? Do you have to balance your checkbook sir? Are you not more interested in creating jobs for Ohioans, or in making education and creating an educated populace so we don't have to farm out important tech jobs your number one concern? Shouldn't it be?

I want president Bush censured. I want him impeached. He has, by spying on American citizens, by lying about the reasons for going to war, by having total disregard for the constitution of the USA, broken the law - by supporting him sir, you have as well. You should be ashamed of yourself - I am embarrassed much of the time to be an American - mainly because I feel that we are losing our credibility with the rest of the inhabitants of the global community. As a nation we need to do our best to show ourselves as intelligent, tolerant and forward-thinking and I fear instead we are viewed as inept, war-mongers who can't seem to stay out of other countries’ business while at the same time being unable to take care of what is most important in our own back yard. My folks used to say that charity begins at home. With the rise in homelessness and joblessness, inner-city crime, and people having to use welfare - I don't think we are being charitable to the very people that you (and our other representative) are supposed to be helping as a representative/neighbor/human.

It is time to re-think this country’s objectives and you are either going to get on the bandwagon with the rest of the concerned world citizens or not, but, by not attending to the concerns of 1/2 of the voting populace and continuing to support a regime that resorts to stripping us of our rights - your (and other representative’s) actions (or inaction in this case) speak louder than any rhetoric or political message you send out otherwise.

I hope you will think about what I am saying and perhaps search within yourself for the right thing to do before it's too late to do anything.