An Open Letter to Congress

An Open Letter to Congress
By Ian MacLeod
Wed May 31st, 2006 at 05:39:45 PM EDT ::
Note: I never received a response at all.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am a Vietnam Era veteran, now disabled. My service wasn't particularly distinguished save that I joined up during a dangerous time, a time when such a thing was a very unpopular thing to do. Both of my parents were wartime veterans, as was every male member of my family as far back as I can learn. I thought the war was wrong, I knew the way it was being prosecuted was wrong, but it was still my country - America. I am no longer certain of that.
I don't understand what I see happening, and I am, for the first time in my life, afraid for my country - afraid, and ashamed. Please read this in open session. You may not agree with it, though I hope to God you do, but I think that my family and I have earned the right to be heard, and there seems to be no other way left save for Internet news and blogs; how long those will last I do not know, as this administration deems anything it doesn't control a threat. The government or it's cronies own every other route I might have used, so that I and the many others like me can only be heard by people who already know what's happening, and preaching to the choir is only good for practice.

If you are afraid to be tarred by the contents of this letter, you can always say it's a request from a constituent you felt obligated to honor. I will hope that Is true.

I also ask that you be careful with my name and address, which I know you can find easily enough (just ask me for it): I am poor, in constant pain and poor health, so is my wife, and I cannot defend myself against a vengeful neocon bureaucrat. Even loss of treatment could easily be a death sentence for both of us. For what it's worth, my pen name the couple of times I've been published on the Net is an old family name: Ian MacLeod. If you need it though, ask for any of
my information relevant to your reading.

I swore an oath to defend my country a long time ago; my feelings haven't changed.

Whatever happens to me, if it wakes someone there up, it's worth it.