Today I sent this letter to our esteemed First Man (president@whitehouse.gov):
President Bush,
You and I disagree on a great many things. I think we both can agree, however, during this holiday season -- such an important holiday of peace and goodwill toward men -- how much it would mean for Americans and for the Iraqi people to carve out one day of peace in Iraq. By this I mean: one day in Iraq without citizens seeing soldiers or hearing bombs or gunshots or helicopters. One day in Iraq without visual reminders of the presence of US soldiers. Just one day, Mr. President, when they won't have to fear for their lives when they leave their homes to buy food. Just one day when the love of their families and neighbors is more real to them, more present, than their fear and hatred of everything the U.S. has come to mean in terms of the threats and dangers of their everyday lives. One day for the children growing up hungry and scared to be able to laugh as loud as they want and not be ashamed at their joy when so many around them are suffering.
All I ask this holiday season is just one day without fear for those we seek to "free" and a whole week of remembering for those of us here in America that our privilege and our distance and our ability to forget their suffering is bought at a much higher price than our global position and personal credit can sustain.
Today, I ask you as a President and as a man and as a lover of what is good in men: Mr. Bush, please instruct your Pentagon to give the Iraqis one day of peace. Ask them to do whatever we have to do in order not to shoot anyone or bomb anyone or scare anyone for one full day. It doesn't seem too much to ask. It's probably inhuman of me to ask for so little but unconscionable not to ask at all. May I be forgiven and my intentions understood.
I ask this in the spirit of healing and renewal that we call by many names.
Sincerely,
Mikaela Renz
Albuquerque, NM, USA
mrenz9@hotmail.com
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