rambling on

Did President Obama win office due to fundamentalist christians? Are those red states that turned blue due to the born again folk jumping the republican ship to help usher in the final days or the second coming, whatever they are calling the end of all things nowadays, because they think, or maybe hope Obama is the antichrist?

Personally I don't think there can be an end to all things since matter can neither be created or destroyed, only changed. But what do I know?

The Taliban are dwarves militarily and insignificant politically on the world stage. U.N. forces drove them out of power in Afganistan easily. They hid in the rugged mountains bordering Pakistan. An irritant, mainly if you happen to be in the same area.

Iran has a GDP (gross domestic product) the size of Conneticut's and their military budget approximates that of Sweden. They haven't attacked another country in a very long time. They defended themselves when a U.S. backed Iraq invaded THEM.

The U.S. government, with their media's avid assistance, paints them both as huge threats, as trainers and purveyors of terrorism. They hate the west and want to destroy it because they are jealous of our freedoms, we are told. There is more than a whiff of BS in that reasoning.

Why would the U.S. want Iraq to invade Iran? There's OIL under that sand, and the one thing the U.S. covets over all else is oil. In oil there is power, and the leaders in the U.S. government need as much as they can grab, and grab quickly, for the yellow peril is growing fast. Behind those expensive closed doors in Washington D.C. the plans are on those very expensive tables, detailing how to control the entire world by holding it's oil hostage. Control a countries air, er, oil supply and you control the country. Makes sense, and probably true, but the best laid plans have a nasty habit... So these plans keep changing and the more they change, the harder to read they become, until they are almost illegible.

Time for new plans seems obvious, but let us remember people holding authority tend to enjoy their power, and perceive voices suggesting another course of action as challenges, and discourage them. It takes much time and effort to get in a position from where your voice is heard by those on high, and so, many good ideas often die, victims of the survival instinct.

One simple plan being totally ignored I believe because no profit is seen forthcoming if it were implemented is:

- Stop using force except in defense. It is natural and correct to resist aggression.

-Stop bribing leaders to act against the best interests of their people. People tend to notice and resist unfair treatment.

-Try helping.Friends are made this way. Friends help friends, there is great profit in that.

It would work if, starting tomorrow, everyone help where they can and to do no harm. Suddenly the world is on the mend.

idealistic? yes
stupid? no
simple? yes
Will it happen? up to you, me, us, everyone.

Main street said overwelmingly "Don't pass this bill."
The senators and congressmen said "Yes we will."

"If not we swear the sky will fall.You don't want that."
Main street held it's ground and said "We smell a rat."

The greedy few were busy and yanked out all stops.
Yelling "Give us money now or the economy flops."

Not used to hearing from their base the HILL became a hive.
One month before elections, a yes vote would they survive?

From three pages to four hundred that bill grew within a week!
Intended to cloud judgement,to disguise the putrid reek.

All the while bombarding EVERY street with tales of doom and gloom.
Threatening dark depression lurked nearby,waiting to consume.

Stubbornly main street held firm and loudly did declare,
"Pass this bill at your peril, for your jobs at risk,BEWARE."

Money trumps integrity comes as no surprise
Among it's many victims our democracy now lies.

At first, the choice of Governor Palin as McCains' vp seemed a ploy to grab votes from the "soccer mom/joe six pack" segment of the country. The debate confirms this asessment. She may have been elected Governor of Alaska, but that IS a very small state population wise, and probably doesn't carry as much weight as being elected Governor in any of the other 49 states.

I do not like Obama particularly, I just like McCain less. Obama has presented ideas to help Amerika become America again. McCain has not, but only chases the presidency by any means he believes will get him there.

It is a terrible commentary on the major media, most Americans main source of information, that independent candidates get next to no coverage, thus giving them no chance. It proves the deregulation that has allowed half a dozen corporations to own nearly every Tv, radio, paper, magazine internet sites,etc. was a terrible mistake. If these few control what is heard and read, they control what is thought and believed. Democracy is dying as a result. What's happening now is not new. But it is being done more boldly. This boldness implies an arrogance, a confidence that the American public are sheep and will humbly follow their "leader", a term I use sadly, for they are not leading us, only squeezing us harder and harder.

And I fear for my country.

What to do? I don't know. I am a troubleshooter, good at figuring out problems. Not so good at repairing them. The trouble here is a simple down-turn in the economy that historically happens, just as the up-turns come and go, so to the down-turns, this one fueled by the greedy few. The big money interests are pushing harder than ever they have since 911 to scare Americans into giving them more money and power.

Shall we let them?

Sir,

I thank you for your response to my concern over the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA), which has this morning passed in the house, with your help. I respect your opinion, but wonder how much time you spent reading and understanding the legislation just passed. It grew in one week from three pages to four hundred and fifty one pages. Not an easy read.

In addition, you voted yes to the much smaller version presented to the house just last Monday. One that had less oversight provisions.

The latest version, you explain in your email, has massive oversight provisions and safeguards included to protect the working people of America. Those for this bill speak of transparency, and it is indeed. It is transparent the wording of this bill is chosen not to ensure our protection, but to dull our outrage at what most of America believes will be throwing more of our good, HARD earned money after bad.

The scoundrels of the financial sector have exerted great pressure on the American legislature in the belief the American public will not pay too much attention. This is why speed is so important and necessary to avert disaster. If a reasonable amount of time be taken, a solution not targeting the taxpayer could, I know, be found.But there isn't much profit in that.

I live on "main street", my wife has worked for Bank of America for thirty-three years. Neither of us has seen any indication of anything other than business as usual.There is no panic here, only up there on the "hill".

The tremendous coverage given this situation by the media does have main street talking, and watching, and listening, and reading. Many Americans are asking questions and voicing opinions to the media and their representatives, many for the first time. The overwhelming majority is saying “not so fast”, yet is ignored by those elected to represent them. You, among many other elected representatives are paying us scant attention, believing we are naive and poorly informed and that you know better. That, if ever true, is changing fast.

How much of this money is going to foreign investors?

How much will disappear into superfluous add-ins there only to capture a vote or two?

How many ways are there for the “golden parachutes” to open in darkness rather then the light of day?

I would go on but am trying to be brief, knowing you are busy.

This is a dark day in our history, but may be a catalyst to help usher in a better day for America. We of the silent majority are awake now.

In closing I would like to inject some humor. The original bill to which EESA has been attached, the "Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007" is the perfect choice for something this crazy!

Sincerely,
Steve Thuman
member of the unemployed
stevethuman@hotmail.com

An elderly man in Florida had owned a large farm for several years. He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up with nice picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and some apple and peach trees.

One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while, and look it over. He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit. As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee. As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.

He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end. One of the women shouted to him, "We're not coming out until you leave!" The old man frowned, "I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked ."

Holding the bucket up he said, "I'm here to feed the alligator."

Some old men can still think fast

Committee members,

Please renew my faith in democracy by voting NO to the "Emergency economic stabilization act" being pushed thru congress, and do all in your power to prevent anything resembling it from being enacted. We the people demand it be defeated. Can you hear us? We are shouting as loud as we know how while remaining respectful of our chosen representatives.

I have a high school education, have worked hard as a skilled industrial mechanic for over 30 years, have invested wisely, own my own Chesapeake bay-front home, am putting my second child through college, and owe no man or institution one penny. I have always avoided the "too good to be true" and "get rich quick" schemes. This "Emergency Economic stabilization Act of 2008" is that and more:

You wish to RAISE the debt ceiling to over eleven TRILLION dollars!
You wish to REWARD the rapists of the American public?
Your "credit card" is maxed out so you want to open another with the taxpayers names on it?

You may find the middle class, the silent majority is not silent because it is stupid, as many of you think, rather it is silent because it is frustrated to the point of despair with the detours and roadblocks enacted to deter participation in government.

Passing this bill will be like slapping the face of a sleeping giant. ANY plan to use taxpayer money to save the greedy rich their well earned losses will not work, is unconstitutional and must not pass.

sincerely,
Steven Thuman
rthuman@cablespeed.com

Professionalism has become
a euphemism used to look down upon
1 person,a group,sometimes a whole race
metaphorically speaking,"your a 5,I'm an ace"
But card games are many,some are fast some are slow.
An ace can be high,but it can also be low.
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This poem came as I was playing on-line poker.1 of the other players was berating and talking down to the others.I thanked him for the inspiration and he cussed me. I responded, "when you throw dirt you lose ground"........He cussed me again.
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Living on the upper reaches of the Chesapeake bay is usually a joy. An expansive view kept fresh with the changing seasons and every boat and ship headed to Baltimore to watch at our leisure. The summers are not as hot and the winters less cold because the water is either cooler or warmer then the air close along the shore. And of course the breezes.

But the "Land of Pleasant Living" has a darker side. Rarely felt or seen, it will visit us with worse than our inland neighbors receive on occasion. Early June 2008 was one of these times.

A thunderstorm was speeding our way from the west in the evening hours after dinner. After turning off the household electronic devices and shutting windows, RuthAnn and I sat outside on the brick steps under our second story deck to watch the storm blow through. I purposely put a solid flooring on the deck years ago to protect us from falling rain for just this reason. Lightning storms are awesome here, being able to see many lightning strikes in a near 180 degree arc from northwest to southeast, and I take much pleasure from a good storm. This time it got personal!

Having just settled in without rain even falling yet the winds suddenly increased from calm to 20-30mph from the southwest. This storm was travelling from land-side towards the bay, and moving quick. Already there had been some lightning hits across the water when "BOOOM", and leaves shredded like confetti started falling just to our front, nearly within reach of where we were sitting, and we were now checking our pants to see if we'd done any sh.ting. The kind of sudden sound you feel as well as hear.

My first thought was lightning had hit the very large tree in our yard, so I walked to the side and looked. The tree looked undamaged in the twilight and my eyes moved to the roof of the house. There was a subtle difference. Not a hole in the house, not fire, but something not right, not there. Then I realized the old citizens band radio antenna, unused for twenty years but still sticking up 50 feet above the house, wasn't! Some of the tree limbs surrounded it and some of those leaves are what fell shredded. Tthe antenna exploded from a direct hit from a bolt of lightning and tree limbs and leaves were some of the collateral damage victims!

After the storm passed we looked for further damage and where the antenna landed. RuthAnn found the metal rod part of it directly below its mounting point and in the snowball bushes next to the house. It's threaded, metal base was mushroomed, looking like a scorched metalic flower. But the white fiberglass covering the rod was scattered far and wide, in tiny strips, thousands of them. We are finding them still, now, in September!

The only other exterier damage found was a hand sized hole in the vinyl siding, well away from the actual strike point. A neighbor who makes his living as an electrical engineer gave us the best explanation for the paths the bolt took to ground. My cb antenna was grounded with a 3/8 inch diameter by 8 foot long rod driven below the soil. I had done that when the mast was raised those many years ago. Much of the charge went harmlessly into the earth along this conduit. But, cable television installers had used the convenient antenna cable to run their wires to our televisions around the house. One of these ran around the corner of the house to where it entered right by the new hole in our siding! It also happened to be where the main electrical power cables from the electric pole on the street entered our home, with the ground protection it requires right there below the hole. The charge raced round the coax cable wires, then jumped to the ground wire, blowing out the vinyl siding near it.

So we were mostly spared, or as Martin, the engineer said, we were very lucky our home was so well grounded. Still, I had to replace every GFI breaker and outlet in both house and garage. Every electonic attached to a coaxial cable wire was destroyed or damaged and 3 phones stopped working.

Yes, I STILL like watching thunderstorms.

Adam sharing with Eve an apple
from the forbidden tree of life
results in many changes
the world now boils with strife

theologians try to explain
yet the severity makes no sense
banishment pain and death
harsh judgments to dispense

Mankind rushes onward
the destination is unknown
the journey not important
want more and more to own

The example set so long ago
twisted through the ages
robbing lives of happiness
putting us in cages
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God works in mysterious ways?Would you kick your child out of the house to fend for him/herself for having curiousity?
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She mows the lawn and rakes the leaves,
trims small branches from the trees.
The mulch she spreads, the food she cooks,
she reads too many romance books.
Laundry and house are always clean,
she’s always happy, seldom mean.
And all she asks for in return,
is every penny that I earn.
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Thanks Fanny for being you,
every word of this is true.
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New knobbie tires made to ride "in the weeds" do not perform well on-road at high speed.
Knowing this, I gunned it anyway, on a dark and empty straightaway.
10, 20, 30 and 40mph were fine, eaten quickly by that bike of mine.
50, 60, 70 came and went too, but from the front tire a head-shake ensued.
Called a tank slapper by some when the handlebars act, beating on the gas tank repeatedly, back and back.
Not a good situation to find myself in, especially after a few glasses of gin.
On past rides with a tank slapper starting, I'd tap the rear brake to stop the bike darting.
When under the influence reactions are'nt the same, slowed or gone completely, I fell anticipating pain.
My bikes a Suzuki, appropriate then, being thrown down hard hitting tarmac end over end.
Like a judo master it tossed me over, like a novice I landed on head and shoulder.
Fast across the road we skid, bike riding me instead.
Muffler burning broken leg, riding clothes shredding, dreading a car may come just then are sensations worth forgetting.
A body lying in the road to 911 was reported, medics tended injuries and after things got sorted,
I went home a broken man in mind, body and spirit, but maybe now the bottom reached, I will no longer fear it.
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Wrote while as low as ever I was, and stupid as ever I'm hopin to be.
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9/19/2008-Starting to look like a GOOD thing.

1. Never tie a boat on rough water with a shackle connecting rope to anchor point.It WILL unscrew.Bad things happen to boats that drift.

2. When having a personal crisis,don't do stupid things and expect others to understand it's a cry for help.They won't.

3. Joys impregnate,sorrows bring forth.

4. You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.

5. Improvement makes straight roads.But the crooked roads without improvement are roads of genius.

6. Being too smart for your own good is a common ailment.

7. It is better to be happy for a moment and be burned up by the beauty of life than to live a long time,bored..

Carnation milk is the best in the land,
Here I sit with a can in my hand-
No tits to pull,no hay to pitch,
You just punch a hole in the son of a bitch.
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I didn't write this,but I like this,reminds me of Edgar J. Crab,the best storyteller I ever heard.
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They say I am at risk of dying
but I don't seem to care
all my life spent climbing
and hardly got nowhere

Steve met Ruth Ann by accident. Really, he was hanging with friends at the sun valley micki-d’s when Michele Meeks, an acquaintance from high school, drove into the back of Ruth Ann’s new car on the parking lot, causing very minor damage. Laughing over the dumb accident Steve called across the lot to Michele, “hit her again”. When two attractive teens (high school seniors) got out of the 1974 Toyota Corolla to survey the harm, he quickly changed his sarcastic tune and went to see if he could help the poor dear young ladies.
On first meeting Ruth Ann and her friend Elaine, Steve was immediately drawn to the personality of Ruth Ann. Although her new car had received its first scratch, she was easy going and pretty nice about it. A nice smile and unique laugh accented her natural good looks, and she had a style of speech Steve found sexy.

A little flirtation followed and soon Steve was dating Ruth Ann semi-regularly. They got on well together and it wasn’t long before Steve #1 (Ruth Ann was a prolific dater) became her favorite guy.
The years marched on and their relationship grew more serious. Vacations were taken together, and holidays were spent with each others families. When Steve’s folks moved from Pasadena to Grasonville, Ruth Ann helped him find an apartment in Severn, did the decorating, and shopped for the things needed to make a house a home. The girl was focused and moving in for the kill. The boy got scared and tried backing things up some, but couldn’t quite dodge the inevitable. Steve realized he was happier with her then without her, and so he asked Ruth Ann to be his wife. This was probably the smartest decision of his young life. Saying yes may have been her worst decision. Time would tell.

After much preparation, mostly done by Ruth Ann (Steve showed up where and when instructed, usually.) to pave the road to marriage, the young couple tied the knot on August 19th, 1978, at 11 am in St. Jane Francis church in Riviera Beach. It was a clear, hot day for a wedding.The reception, held at the Stoney Creek Democratic club, was full of dancing and good cheer.
The young couple settled into their new lives together, buying their first house in Pine Haven. In 1982 Sarah Beth, their first child was born.
In 1984 Ruth Ann got a new Toyota Corolla, Steve got a new pick-up truck. The next year they bought a brand new boat (19’ Wellcraft). Life kept getting better and better. In 1986, the Pine Haven house was sold, and they moved to the waterfront in Riviera Beach.

During early 1988, sadness intruded with the passing of Ruth Ann’s mom and two oldest brothers. Anticipation of a second child helped ease the sorrow of that year, and Stephanie Marie’s arrival January 17th, 1989 added much joy to their lives.



The 1990’s flew by and here they are in 2006, half a century old, and still happily together.

What follows are some memories that help explain why.

The day before the wedding was sunny and hot. We spent it on the creek in our little inflatable raft, holed up in the cove across from Pine Haven beach. Hearing someone calling, we peak across the creek and see my mom looking for us. That night was the rehearsal dinner.
The hot summer days we drifted on the bay together in our boat. Ruth Ann would ask me to tell if any other boats got close enough to see, so we could lay low until they passed. Of course I promised to tell, but sometimes I didn’t, because I didn’t want to stop what we were doing. Instead, I’d just wave at the intruding boat with a smile on my face a mile wide if they sounded their horn.

On our honeymoon, we had a white dodge diplomat rental car. While in Key West, Fanny ran out from the motel to not only the wrong model car, but a completely different color from what we had rented! The funny part of the episode was the look of confusion on her face when the key didn’t fit, and yet she kept trying, like, “this does not compute”.

Ruth Ann could water-ski, but wanted to be able to get up on only one ski (slalom). We spent a weekday afternoon on Stoney Creek practicing. After 50 some attempts, she caught on and succeeded. She has never slalomed since!

Skydiving together. I forgot the instructions, landed off course in the middle of a cornfield at the height of the growing season (It was a good year for corn). I remember looking up to see Fanny floating down from the sky and landing perfectly, exactly where she ought.

I remember being totally blown away by all the people she snuck into the house to surprise me on my 40th birthday.
Back in the 70’s when I worked the night shift, I’d go to bed 7:30 in the morning as Fanny would be getting ready to go to work at the bank. Once she switched a small spider plant for a much larger one while I slept, but denied it when I asked. She said they grow fast. I fell for it and was telling everyone about the amazing plant we had that grew 3 feet in 8 hours. She thought my gullibility was hilarious.
In 1975 Ruth Ann showed up at my parents house on Christmas dressed as an elf, and bringing gifts for all. My family fell for that little suck-up job, and have loved Ruth Ann ever since.

One night in early April 2006 Fanny made some burritos for dinner. They were very good and I told her so, adding that some onions would make them even better. The next night we had leftovers (the burritos) and sure enough, onions were included

hardly the end

Above is the cute little house Ruthann and I bought for $100,000 in March of 1986 in Riviera Beach on the Potapsco river where it flows into the Chesapeake bay. Built around 1920, it sits on the same waterfront as my moms folk's home where we spent many a summer learning to love living by the bay. With one child four years old and plans for more we wanted to enlarge with a two story addition full of windows and big, open rooms. After drawing up plans and hiring a contractor, our dreams of the perfect home were about to be realized. [ The construction started soon after, the additions block foundation set in place, and siding removed for connecting the new with the old. That was when the house fell in on us! [photo id=fqssbbqssbbqqgxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo]
The 4"x6" wooden sill plate which lay between the crumbling concrete of the foundation and the house structure had over time been internally consumed by termites. Without effort a screwdriver could be pushed completely through it around 3/4 of the buildings perimeter! The poured concrete it sat upon was not in much better shape. No way would these "summer shack" underpinnings support the 2 story home we had planned!
What were we to do? Construction could not continue until the foundation was replaced around 3 complete sides. This would be a large and difficult operation. The house was kinda in the way and must be either moved (out of the question, where to put it?), torn completely down (the best solution as far as the final product was concerned, but far too expensive for our means). We settled on the only fix we could both afford and execute, lay on our sides in the crawl space underneath (very narrow and dank) and dig out enough dirt to brace the house. Then, one side at a time, remove the old foundation and put in a new one.
While all this was going on, we were fighting with the previous owners and the termite company (pied piper) they had contracted with for years. Investigation turned up the fact they knew of the damage done by termites to the wood frame of the building, and the owners had purposely covered the evident damage by installing aluminum siding all the way to the ground (An unusual way to side a house?! Pied piper, being under contract to yearly treat the premises, of course handled the pre-sale termite inspection required by real estate law. Knowing they had been yearly treating the place for termites (maybe?), a thorough inspection was not performed, the paper work was filled out to satisfy the law saying all was well, and happily pocketed the fee which WE payed (THE NERVE!). When we filed a complaint, asking fair treatment as would be expected from a reputable company, they blew us off, stonewalling our attempts at reconciliation. Essentially saying, "we are a big company, you cannot hurt us!"
Being penniless at this point, [photo id=fqssbgwtkbdrqrxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo] we received much appreciated help from my sister, Gail, a practicing attorney. This resulted in a visit from the OWNER of pied piper pest control, A curmudgeonly old dude who reminded me of the mean old guy on "the Andy Griffith show". [photo id=fqstqffkbsddwwxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo] With hardly a glance he pompously declared it was not termites, but "water damage", and they were NOT liable! [photo id=fqstwwbqkwftswxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo]
I'll admit, at this point I was a bit upset (Ruth Ann said she saw smoke come out my ears), [photo id=fqssbkqfrsddbtxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo] but tried one last time to settle things amicably. Breaking off a random piece of the sill plate, I pointed out the honeycomb pattern indicative of how termites eat the softer wood and leave the harder, less appetizing fibers alone. He was not listening and sarcastically told me not to tell him his business.
Having been raised to respect my elders, I am ashamed to say I ran him off exactly as I would a dog caught using my yard for a toilet, by the scruff of the neck and my boot up his butt! [photo id=fqstwgkqkdtwrfxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo]
After much legal wrangling, the government agency [photo id=fqstdbtwgktwftxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo] which regulates termite companies and grants them a license to operate, sent an inspector to look at the situation and act as mediator. His findings supported ours and soon we started receiving monetary offers for settlement from pied piper pest control (Trying to get rid of a pest of their own, which I think was very humorous and appropriate.) The department of agriculture had informed pied piper they would either supply prompt restitution or lose their license to operate! They started with very low offers. We laughed and hung up on them. Almost daily the attorney representing their interests called with an offer a little higher then the previous. We, however, had rendered an amount (not unfair) we calculated to cover the cost to complete the repairs their negligence allowed to become necessary (Plus a few nice windows). As the deadline neared for a satisfactory agreement to be reached or shut down the business, "pied pooper" finally coughed up the full amount (most painfully). [photo id=fqssbtfwqtktgqxwwtsdbtfkg type=vi style=1 align=no link=photo] We finished our dream house and are living happily ever after "by the shores of the chesapeake bay".
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"How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world." - William Shakespeare

While rebuilding my 1978 SR500 Yamaha thumper,I needed to make a run to the auto parts store for engine paint. Thinking it might be interestingly fun to try and get there without using the main road, I hopped on the yelladog and putted away, using back roads out of the beach. I cut through one parking lot, hopped a curb and used the grass going around a fence to the bowling alleys' parking lot. As I prepared to cross another grass plot a siren gave a loud short "WHOOP WHOOP" from behind. Drifting back beside his patrol car, I stopped and said, "hey, officer, what's up?" to the 20 something cop sitting inside looking somewhat peeved.

I explained my mission, emphasizing the gentle care I used when cutting across both private and public property. He heard me out, then did some explaining of his own about the numerous tickets he could, if so inclined, write pertaining to my path alongside the roadway.

Duly warned, I shut my trap and looked as sheepishly sorry as possible. I believe I saw a small twinkle in his eye as he instructed me to get the heck out of there and to use the road, but held my tongue and got gone while the gettin was good!
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"The man who does not do his own thinking is a slave, and is a traitor to himself and to his fellow-men."

Robert Bowman,former lieutenant colonel usaf,pilot of over 100 combat missions in Vietnam,said,in 1998;" We are not hated because we practice democracy, value freedom,or uphold human rights.We are hated because our government denies these things to people in third world countries whose resources are coveted by our multinational corporations.That hatred we have sown has come back to haunt us in the form of terrorism... Instead of sending our sons and daughters around the world to kill arabs so we can have the oil under their sand,we should send them to rebuild their infrastructures,supply clean water,and feed starving children...In short,we should do good instead of evil.Who would try to stop us?Who would hate us?Who would want to bomb us?This is the truth the American people should hear.
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"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."