A Celebration of American Independence? –an Open Letter to George W. Bush and America
George A. Polisner, July 4, 2003

On July 4,1776, through the culmination of many acts of courage, we, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, became America.  We reflect together upon this day, we gather as families and as communities and celebrate with hot dogs and hamburgers (some being vegetarian hotdogs and burgers of course), children dance carefree with sparklers or other gentle fireworks. Parents enjoy family or neighborhood discussions about upcoming vacations and the soda pop and beer flow freely.

I also reflect upon this day and its significance to each of us and the world. How has the concept of America changed each of our lives and those of our ancestors ?  In what way has it affected the entire world ? What type of impact will we, as America, have on future generations ? How did we arrive at this point in time ?

The founding families left, no, they were driven from England by a government that supported the wealthy on the backs of the hard-working poor and middle-class.  The original American Patriots that we celebrate on this day left England in part because of a system of economics and government that were unfair to the average citizen. It was a government that dictated acceptable religion. It was a system of government that was imperialistic and empire-building through military force. Thus, looking to cast off the chains of an oppressive system and find new opportunity in America, our founding families left England. Their departure did not signal the end of British rule in America. And with a number of acts, such as the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Act and more, the American Colonialists continued to be taxed by the British government, with no representation in such government (taxation without representation).  Such actions by England eventually escalated into violent protest, and finally the American Revolutionary War.

Beginning with the heroic acts in which the founding families paid in their own blood, our ancestors fought for a fair, just system of government that would provide for opportunities for each of us and our families, not a system that was skewed to increase the divide between those who have, and those who have-not. If we ignore the present state of America, we bring dishonor to each individual that bravely suffered at the hands of British rule. Thus, I cannot turn my back on what is happening to America. I cannot turn on the television and blankly stare at American Idol, Survivor or Fox News and let my care for this country drift away. I cannot look at an SUV with the American Flag proudly displayed on the antenna, or worse, a Hummer, without a thought to where the petroleum product came from that is burned at an extreme rate. And don't get me started when it comes to imported cars with American flag stickers on them!

That being said, you will have to excuse me for choosing not to celebrate our Independence this year. Am I unpatriotic ? Some of you will say I am treasonous. I know the promise and vision of America in my heart. It is the America I have Pledged Allegiance to, long before I knew what either a pledge or an allegiance was. It is an America we have the resources and the intellect to collectively become if we were to choose such a path. It is an America where we are afforded life, liberty and justice. An America where each man, woman and child has quality healthcare regardless of financial standing or employment (or, as under the current Bush/Cheney Administration, the lack of employment). And even though reparations can never begin to right prior injustices we must consider our past "evil-doing" and attempt to make amends  We must acknowledge the dark side of American History beginning with Native Americans and continuing on to African Americans, Japanese Internment camps, Vietnam, Central America, Chile, Cuba, Afghanistan and more. We must address our recent, illegal incursion into Iraq. Since our government chose to bomb and invade Iraq we must rebuild them, but let no American corporation profit from such an undertaking – and especially not a corporation such as Bechtel and Halliburton who maintain close ties to the Bush/Cheney administration.

We must close the U.S. Army's School of the America’s. The fact that this "school" (known throughout South and Central America as the "School of Assassins") continues to persist is an affront to all humanity. How can America dictate human rights policies to other countries while we train brutal regimes and their military about the science of killing and torture?

We must fix our schools. Education is a fundamental pillar of a true democracy. Without an education, our elections in America are merely an arbitrary exercise in selecting from which candidate has the better array of commercials. More standardized testing will not fix our schools. We already know how to fix the education system. It is compensating our educators fairly, ensuring that the school/classroom environment is safe and well-maintained. We must provide more funding to reduce class sizes, so children receive adequate individual attention and motivation. Mr. Bush, giving a low-income family a voucher to pay for part of a private school education is not the answer. When a parent or parents are working two jobs to barely meet very basic living expenses, a voucher that covers a portion of their child’s education will not help. You are providing a benefit to the rich at the expense of all other Americans. You are robbing from a public education system in dire need to shift more wealth to your friends. You are undermining a fundamental pillar of a true democracy.

Traditionally, the Fourth of July is enjoyed by hard-working, patriotic Americans. Many such Americans may choose to stop waving their flags for a moment to ask some provocative questions. Questions such as where have the 2.6 million jobs gone since Bush/Cheney began their occupation of the White House? Or are jobs no longer important since the tax-burden of the upper 1% of this country has been significantly reduced --Have we now all joined the leisure-class? What about the eradication of estate taxes? Now, children born to the wealthiest families can inherit incredible wealth. They will have hired-help preparing them for the private school classes. They will be transported to and from the best schools in America by driver and executive car. Do you think those private schools have class-size issues? These privileged heirs and heiresses grow-up to become the new power-elite in this country, vital to the process of electing new presidents and legislators. This was certainly a back page news article that signaled a quiet and total takeover of America by the affluent-class! And who will pay back a disproportionate share of the deficit your regime will leave America with, Mr. Bush? Yes, the burden of the deficit will be borne by generations of hard-working Americans striving to provide a better life for his or her family. This burden will be carried while the affluent, more removed from the struggle of everyday American existence, become more influential in shaping our government.

I cannot celebrate because I know the nature of your tax-cuts Mr. Bush. Mr. Bush must think what could several Nobel Laureates know about economics anyway? Of course, the Nobel-winners were probably speaking from a perspective of economic fairness and opportunity. They were not speaking in accordance with the Bush/Cheney administration, which continues to shift greater wealth, to the people that already possess great wealth.

I do not celebrate as I have been (and continue to be) falsely accused of being unsupportive of our troops. When I protested the invasion of Iraq, as led by Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, Mr. Rumsfeld and Mr. Wolfowitz among others and the so-called “Coalition of the Drilling”, some people would yell “support our troops!" Not only do I support the men and women that fought bravely in this war and prior wars, I believe that Mr. Bush should not lead an effort to cut Veterans' benefits. Does it seem odd to anyone else in America, that the same government that labels dissenters as unpatriotic moves to decrease benefits to the same men and women it claims to honor? Perhaps if Mr. Bush had spent more time serving his country as opposed to being AWOL as is alleged he would harbor sincere support for our military. Perhaps then he would not attempt to reduce veterans' benefits. Perhaps then he would not use our troops in an indiscriminate way against another sovereign nation in order to secure oil resources under the guise of an imminent threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

And where, Mr. Bush, are the WMD? Oh, I imagine they have moved into Iran and Syria now. Will Mr. Powell soon be showing a satellite photo of suspected WMD sites in Iran and Syria? Will he show the same photograph of the WMD sites in Iraq, and claim it to be (this country name intentionally left blank)? I remain especially appreciative of courageous Representatives, exemplified by Congressperson Barbara Lee who continues to vote against your foreign policy of unchecked military aggression and threat. It is 2003 Mr. Bush. We should be leading the world by benevolent example and firm, consistent economic incentive, not bombing other countries into acceding to our global corporate interests. Certainly we do enjoy a military and technological superiority, it is incumbent upon us to use it judiciously and defensively. And remember Mr. Bush, if you were able to remain alert at all during your history classes, superiority, whether it be military, economic or technological is a fleeting attribute of a society. As Bush/Cheney policies continue to encourage petroleum use in this country (tax incentives for SUV purchases, lowering of mileage standards, etcetera), Mr. Bush, your policies continue to shift wealth to a politically-fragile region of the world.

Excuse me if I sit out this year’s celebration. I would like to have pristine areas to take my family such as wilderness without oil rigs pumping furiously or forests that have not been logged or clear-cut.  I would like for my family to enjoy clean air, safe drinking water, food supplies that have not become poisoned by industrial waste as corporations face less stringent standards under the Bush regime to improve corporate profitability over individual quality of life.

Excuse me, if I cannot celebrate, due in part to not only the Iraqi people that were made homeless by our bombing, but our own homeless in urban areas of blight.  How are your tax cuts helping the homeless Mr. Bush? I am personally surprised that you are not pushing a plan to help the homeless by reducing property taxes. It would seem to fit well within your domestic and economic policy agenda now that we all know what “Compassionate Conservative means”. Mr. Bush, you speak of a "War on Terrorism", why does that exclude the terror many children live with every day in our poverty-stricken communities where not-to-distant gunfire is occasionally drowned-out by the sound of a police siren, police helicopter, an ambulance and the anguished cry of a parent that has just lost a child?

Excuse me if your faith-based initiatives look like they embrace the old British-standard of a formalized relationship between government and religion Mr. Bush. This was another reason our ancestors fought and died for independence from England. I do not dismiss any of the incredible, charitable work done by many fine faith-based organizations. Nevertheless, we have, until your occupation of the White House, Mr. Bush, enjoyed a Constitutionally-guaranteed separation of Church and State to protect individual freedoms.

I know ethics are clearly very important to you, Mr. Bush. When, exactly, are you going to make public documents relating to your Administration and Enron executives, such as Kenneth Lay, in the formation of U.S. Energy policy? No need to remind you of the havoc energy companies have perpetrated upon the economy of the State of California due in large-part to alleged price-fixing by the energy industry. California is struggling with a severe fiscal crisis and is forced to cut vital core programs in education, health and human services. The impact to California families, especially children --Children trying to learn in an environment where public schools, already under funded and must now undergo additional funding cuts to pay for the deficit created in part by your close friends in the energy sector. I am certain this is not some behind-the-scenes strategy to attempt to discredit California Governor Gray Davis and subject him to a recall election right, Mr. Bush? How do you feel, ethically-speaking, about Mr. Cheney receiving a last-minute reprieve from having to turnover sensitive documents related to a GAO investigation into his role in some unpleasant business at Halliburton, by a Judge (John Bates) that was not only appointed by you, but also served under Kenneth Starr during the $60,000,000 “independent” investigation into President Clinton’s personal business? How much taxpayer money have you allocated to investigate your own Administration, Mr. Bush?

So, for all of these reasons, I will not be celebrating our July 4 holiday this year. In the past, we have celebrated together to acknowledge the freedom offered by our Constitutional rights and fundamental principles of our country. Now we have become the imperialistic, empire-building class-system our founding families courageously fought, suffered and died against. And for those of you eating your “freedom fries” if it were not for France assisting us in our Revolutionary war for Independence, we might still be a British Colony. We are not represented in Congress, or in the Executive branch of government. Our representatives are beholden to special interests that finance their campaigns, the very affluent in America who have the power and economic wherewithal get their candidate elected.

So, perhaps I will rejoin the celebration, if we are able to cast aside, not our system of government, which certainly has the potential to work well, but the people who claim to represent us in government. I look forward to a sweeping victory in 2004 of a government for the people and by the people. A government that will pass a universal healthcare bill for America. A government that will close the School of the America’s. A government that will pass legislation for true campaign finance reform, prohibiting contributions from corporations and special interests. Let us, as America, create a platform based upon social and economic justice and compassion for the people and by the people. Let us then elect representatives that will author and support the legislation necessary for a fair and compassionate foreign and domestic agenda. This will enable us to evolve into a society that individuals, such as Dr. Martin Luther King knew were within our grasp. If we as a nation cooperate to become a fair and just society, there is no "–ism" we will need to fear, communism, terrorism  –our fear of whatever "-ism" power hungry candidates utilize as a distraction for us will dissipate if we acknowledge our past wrongs, and journey on a new path to become a benevolent, compassionate example for the world.