We can hear the dream of MLK through Barack

For many of us that watched the DNC on 8/28/08, our minds were flooded with awe that Barack Obama has come so far reflecting many themes and values that brought tears of joy to our hearts and souls. You could feel and hear the rusty hinges on that door of forgotten hope crackling as it opened showing us all through Barack, that promise in the dream of Dr. Martin L. King.

Time to beat those drums

Now that Joe Biden is the VP pick for Obama it is time to go after the hearts of those 18 million voters that stood firmly behind Hillary Clinton.

Loud drumbeats echoing the following themes should be done and repeated on a daily basis:

Drumbeat 1- Do we want a continuation of a bunch of advanced aged men stuck in a cowboy time bubble, pretending to be tough while wasting our resources in a war of choice benefiting Iran?

Drumbeat 2- Do we want a bunch advanced aged rich out of touch men in the pocket of religious extremists tampering with women rights to choose?

Drumbeat 3- Do we want four more years of losing the middle class while the rich is getting richer?

Drumbeat 4- Do we want that trust back we once had that we and the world were proud of?

Drumbeat 5- Lets merge together and take this country back.

A war of choice that benefited Iran

The whole business of using force to settle disputes, I believe borders around men’s immaturity. With all that we know in these modern times, men still have not risen above killing each other over territory, religion and resources.

Just because so many of us can see the invasion of Georgia by Russia is pale in comparison to the Iraq invasion, this does not mean we are apologists for Russia’s behavior.

Our patriotism is in our hope that one day men as a whole will grow up and some of the behavior of men kind will somehow experience a breakthrough. That’s not going to happen in a McCain administration; we will only have four more Bush years of old men claiming to be stewards of pro-life in one breath, and in another, they won’t hesitate to send young humans beings to die in a war of choice.

Is our patriotism in question just because we don’t buy into the dream that a stable democracy will be left behind in Iraq after the Iraqi government succeeds in negotiating the complete withdrawal of American troops?

Perhaps by then George Bush and John McCain will realize that this war of choice that have drained on our resources and has shed so much blood has strengthened the hand of Iran.

A maverick no more

The following letter was published on August 19, 2008 by
The Star Tribune
Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota

I've always had a great deal of respect for the young John McCain as an American hero who suffered as a prisoner of war. No one can ever take that chapter in his life away from him.

But, in 2008, McCain is making comments about his opponent that are out of sync for a war hero. It seems out of a desperate attempt to score political points.

Obama's attraction is all about the inspiration of trust that is lost in the Bush administration that deceived the country and the world. Sadly, this McCain clings to many of the policies of the Bush administration.

Look who's preaching of long-term consequences

The following letter was published on August 16, 2008 by
The Cape Cod Times
Cape Cod, Massachusetts

These are unbelievable quotes from a nominee of the Republican Party and the president concerning Russia's military offensive in Georgia:

"Russian leaders must understand the severe long term negative consequences of their actions." — John McCain.

"Russia has invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatens a democratic government elected by its people. Such an action is unacceptable in the twenty first century." — George H. Bush.

The nominee of the Republican Party and the president didn't mention that the fighting started when Georgia, a former Soviet republic, decided to invade the province of South Ossetia. You don't see large crowds protesting around the world against Russia's war, like we saw before and after Iraq was invaded.

Over 100,000 Iraqis have been killed, and over 4,000 US troops have died in a conflict that was preventable. Can the nominee of the Republican Party, who has always supported the war in Iraq, and the president, say the U.S. does not have long term consequences for invading Iraq? Can they also say the US actions were acceptable in the 21st century? In my opinion, because they represent the epitome of hypocrisy and denial, the answers would probably be in the affirmative.

Shooting: a sad moment for everyone

The following letter was published on August 7, 2008 by
The Register
Yarmouthport, Massachusetts

It's very hard for so many of us to rise above looking at another human being from another country here in America illegally as one of us. It is as difficult for many in Brazil to accept the unfortunate death of Andre Luiz de Castro Martins. Not only does my heart goes out to the family and friends of the deceased, I understand this moment of sorrow for the officer who was given a set of circumstances and dynamics that required a response. According to what was reported if valid, when Mr. Martins turned his car around in that yard on 41 Baxter Avenue striking Christopher Van Ness's cruiser, options were reduced and Van Ness' training kicked in on the use of deadly force.

I don't think any sane officer on Cape Cod would relish in the thought of being put in that moment when Van Ness pulled his weapon and used it. At that moment Mr. Martins may have been thinking about being deported and away from his family. It is sad to think that his mind may have been flooded only with the thoughts of staying with his family at a moment when clarity was needed to protect his life. His decision, as reported, to continue to run after striking the cruiser reduced officer Van Ness's window of timing on responding in a moment when his training dictated his response.

Estadao, a newspaper dated 7/30/08 in Sao Paulo, Brazil reported the many violations Mr. Martins committed in America, and revealed that Mr. Martins' father, Luiz Carlos de Castro Martins is a retired military police. It is a very sad thought that Martins' father may be more familiar with officer Van Ness' window of timing on responding in that moment his son was shot than any other member of his family.

In retrospect, I believe everyone involved wishes that moment and the speeding vehicle never happened.

Human element on Cape

The following letter was published on August 4, 2008 by
The Boston Herald
Boston, Massachusetts

It's hard for so many to look at another human being here in America illegally as one of us (“Illegal actions, not status, got Cape immigrant killed,” July 30). It is as difficult for many in Brazil to accept the unfortunate death of Andre Luiz de Castro Martins. Not only does my heart go out to the family, I understand this moment of sorrow for the police officer who was given a set of circumstances that required a response.

When Martins turned his car around, striking Christopher Van Ness’ cruiser, the officer’s training kicked in on the use of deadly force. I don’t think any sane officer would relish being put in that moment. And it’s sad to think that Martins’ mind may have been flooded only with the thoughts of staying with his family.

The Sao Paulo newspaper Estadao reported the many violations Martins committed in America and revealed that Martins’ father is a retired military police officer. It’s sad that the father may be more familiar with Van Ness’ window of timing on responding in that moment his son was shot then any other member of his family. In retrospect, I believe everyone involved wishes that moment and the speeding vehicle never happened.

McCain / Obama

Like many, I've always had a great deal of respect for the young John McCain as an American hero that suffered as a prisoner of war. No one can ever take that chapter in his life away from him; he really showed bravery while in the hands of his captors.

In 2008, the nominee of his party for the president of the US, John is making comments about his opponent that are out of sync for a war hero that showed true grit against his captors. It seems out of a desperate attempt to score political points McCain has been trying to blur the goodwill Barack Obama shows in his orator skills. He is claiming Obama lacks substance.

Many voters like myself know Obama's attraction is all about the inspiration of trust that is lost in the Bush administration that deceived the country and the world. Sadly, the McCain we all thought we once knew clings to many of the policies of the Bush administration which is in direct contrast with an Obama ticket.

A McCain ticket is about a continuation of distrust and out of touch. An Obama ticket is about hope, change, and trust. We can pick a ticket that clings to an administration lacking credibility in the world or we can pick a ticket that might some day restore what America lost.