Editor:
As we sort through the carnage, chaos, devastating destruction and vicious violence that took place on Sept. 11, we must not dwell on the how, the why, or the reasons for this genocidal nightmare. We must move forward with realistic resolution and a straight-forward solution.
The cold, hard reality of it all is that this holocaust is the result of gutter politics and gutter religions at their worst. Here are four resolutions/solutions that I submit for the near term.
First, every politician on the federal, state, county, and local levels shall immediately take a 50 percent pay cut to help fund the very best national security system available.
The apathy, complacency, incompetency, and self-indulgence of these dictators are what put this country in the sad state that it is in, even before Sept. 11.
Secondly, over 90 percent of all wars in the world were either about religion or over differences in religious beliefs. Therefore, a constitutional amendment shall be adopted to not only guarantee freedom of religion, but freedom from religion for all U.S. citizens.
The violation of separation of church and state shall be punishable by the most severe criminal prosecution. The insanity of people killing people to determine whose God is greater has become completely out of control.
Next, all military and monetary aid from U.S. taxpayers to the nation of Israel shall be immediately terminated. We have transformed Israel into the second largest military power in the world; enough is enough.
This policy should extend to all countries who use U.S. aid to pursue military aggression. No one can estimate the death, destruction, and devastation that can be caused with the black market weaponry purchased with U.S. tax dollars.
Fourth and finally, the United States was a deeply troubled nation long before Sept. 11. The corrupt policies of our corporate and political leaders have left us defenseless and vulnerable.
These deficient, self-serving policies include the export of tax dollars to finance and patronize military violence, the importing of Third World people for slave labor, the flight to Latin America and Asia to create low-cost product lines, and the endless list goes on.
The United States must immediately return to a manufacturing base and stop being a dumping ground for the entire world.
Furthermore, U.S. citizens/taxpayers should have the right to vote on all foreign aid issues.
We the people of this once great nation have been used as pawns by all those we should be able to trust, including politicians, the military establishment, the media, the medical care institutions, the justice system, and even our religious leaders.
It is time for the citizens, taxpayers, and patriots of this country to take back their lives and take back their country by whatever nonviolent means necessary.
Chet Hejduk
Waterford, Ohio
