The following is a response to my letter to the Metro West News of June 8, 2008 by a George Hickey. His letter appeared June 20, 2008. See: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinion/letters/x875593367/Hickey-Thanks-but-no-thanks#comments
My response is as follows:

I thank Mr. Hickey for his compliment and criticism of my letter in the June 8, 2008 edition of the MetroWest Daily News which was entitled 'Do We Dare Hope.' My letter supported Barak Obama's candidacy. I will address a few of Mr. Hickey's comments. First, yes, the stain of slavery has been 'lightened some' after over 300 years. Barak Obama still, however, has had to suffer insults and worse, threats to his person consistently. Moreover, African Americans everywhere suffer every day the slings and arrows of outrageous racism which stings and burns like the nooses of ropes which are still used to intimidate them. It has been an inch by inch crawl for a person of color to achieve that which the rest of us take for granted.

Second, I give no credit to George W. Bush for anything including as Mr. Hickey mentions 'keeping us safe.' As a matter of fact many experts with whom I concur believe that the responsibility for the attacks of September 11, 2001 belong squarely at the feet of George W. Bush. Who can forget Bush's flip response when he was told by the CIA that Bin Laden was 'determined to strike in US'. He crudely said 'All right now you have covered your ass' dismissing it and then he did nothing. In addition, many also believe that invading Iraq far from making us safer has, indeed, put us at risk by angering potential terrorists and empowering Iran.

Third, equating the eloquence of Barak Obama, a candidate for the presidency, with a Frank Sinatra or the movie 'The Notebook' is an incongruous non sequitur. I might equate Barak Obama's verbal inspiration with other presidents such as Lincoln or Roosevelt. Words mean something and give us reason to hope our historical reality could change for the better. Sinatra sung beautifully but I did not think he had the power to determine who shall live and who shall die.

As I write this response there have been, this week, dozens killed in Iraq including some US soldiers. It is folly to think because of this colossal foreign policy error that we are 'winning' or that we are somehow safer. Gore Vidal once said 'fighting terrorism is like fighting dandruff. It is impossible.' Continuing to blast, as war hero John McCain would, often innocent people into oblivion sending millions into exile has not made us safer. I submit, it has put us more at risk. I believe we need a new new deal. I will have the audacity to hope there is one.