Sometimes it's time to shout!

While reading the -political- news lately and following the news on the situation in the Middle East I have finally come to a strong conviction. It's time to start -shouting-. It's not enough that we debate amongst ourselves and it's not enough that we buy the appropriate support paraphernalia to load on our cars to speak for us about the causes that we feel strongly about. It's time to do more. At least for me. I am sick of watching fanatics and misguided peaceniks speaking -for- me as an American citizen. I am sick of watching other people talk while I just wrestle and stew.

I finally did something today that I have never done before in my memory. I sat down and composed a letter to my elected officials in Washington to voice my support of their votes on the Supplemental War funding bill. No, it may not make an earthshattering difference ... especially since they voted the way I wanted them to vote. But they need to know that they are being heard, and watched, and that those who elected them are watching when it comes time for RE-ELECTION! This is the message that I sent to my three representatives-

My husband and I are regularly voting constituents from your North Carolina district. We live in the Thomasville, NC area and work at ---------------.

I wanted to take the time to write and thank you for your nay vote on the atrocious war funding bill with timeline and excessive pork entitlements that was voted on March 29th. It is beyond comprehension and unconscionable to undermine our mission in the Middle East and our troops with this type of display at home. We could do nothing more demoralizing to our troops and more encouraging to those we stand opposed to than to declare timelines and hold funding hostage in order to politicize this war campaign even further.

Our men and women of the United States Armed forces DESERVE our loud and united support for their mission and our enemies MUST see that they face the UNITED determination of our country in standing strong to our commitments. Faced with our unflinching resolve, they will grow disheartened. With the actions of many within the political sphere at this time, we are only disheartening our own and thus giving more fuel and momentum to those who would gladly slaughter our men and women in a holy war that simply grants them a faster paradise.

We must raise our voices and insist that the media and the politicians who care more about winning party votes and further elections stop using this war and our men and women AND the integrity of our country as pawns and bargaining chips. We hurt ourselves far more at home with our own media and the words of our own elected officials than any action that our enemies have taken against us thus far. We must change the tide of this situation in the Middle East by showing a stalwart and resolute face to the world, not the self destructing and effacing face that they are now seeing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from our global media access.

The actions of Britain in the recent hostage situation should show us more than ever that we stand as a power alone and we are still the only hope that many disenfranchised and oppressed people have. If we leave Iraq and the Middle East to it's own devices we have made the deaths of our men and women a death in senseless vain. We have failed in our duty to them to complete the mission that they gave the ultimate sacrifice for. We ARE failing in this mission when we fail to stand properly against the forces that would make us a simpering, apologetic country that cedes our powers to the United Nations and political correctness of those here at home who would gladly give over our freedoms to occupying powers without a second thought.

I leave you with my thanks for your stand and my prayers for your continued stand and courage on these matters that so greatly press us on all sides. I also leave you with these words --

“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.”

John Stuart Mill
English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)

Caroline and Richard Outman

I would hope that everyone who reads this blog would take the time to write SOMETHING by way of support to their representatives so that it can be clear to them how those they represent feel.

If you need to know who your representatives are and how to contact them ... go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ and fill in your information. I have never felt as strongly as I do now that I'm sick of people who don't represent my views being given the only platform that is heard for views. I am sick of letting my silence give an ambiguous message. I want to be clear to those that have been elected to represent me, how I feel so that they may be mindful of it when they consider their own political futures and the future of our country!