America should stand up to fear, spread peace

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If the late Bob Palmer, Free-dom Award-winning cartoonist, were alive and lampooning, what cartoons he'd create with today's headline stories?|ret||ret||tab|

I can picture one about the security issue: A sweaty Uncle Sam, his beer belly hanging over his belt, quivers in fear. He wears a flak jacket of dollar bills. His hand holds a match to the fuse of a gigantic cannon aimed at his front door. Mean-while, turbaned cockroaches slip stealthily through cracks in the floor boards of the house.|ret||ret||tab|

That's an apt description of fear. But remember what FDR said "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."|ret||ret||tab|

Fear is a powerful tool and causes oxymoronic responses knee-jerk reactions at one ex-treme, paralysis on the other. In this case, many Americans suffer paralysis as the government knee-jerks with words of hostility and retribution, de-emphasizing diplomacy.|ret||ret||tab|

Fear tactics work well. Was President Bush intentionally using them when he called Iran, Iraq and North Korea the "Axis of Evil."|ret||ret||tab|

Where were his speech writers? He should have called the terroist elements in these countries the Three Stooges, more in keeping with what they really are crazies. I'm not scared of Larry, Moe or Curly. Are you?|ret||ret||tab|

The question becomes, what is our purpose? To kick butt, or to spread peace? We have the money and energy to spread peace. It's time.|ret||ret||tab|

Some think that as the new millennium advances, we as a planet have the chance to evolve at a fantastic pace, to make the world a true heaven on earth. It's simplicity itself, as all great answers are. |ret||ret||tab|

Just ask any child what to do for the starving children of the world. "Feed them, Mommy."|ret||ret||tab|

And as for terrorists, ask a child about those unfortunate souls. "They just need a hug so they won't be so mad."|ret||ret||tab|

But instead of using our pow-er to spread peace, we take the big brother approach and want to beat the tar out of the terrorists, spending $30 million each day each day! to look for them. That's $11 billion a year. |ret||ret||tab|

How many children can we feed with $30 million a day? Wouldn't that contribute greatly to reducing the power of terror? Full bellies aren't fearful. |ret||ret||tab|

And now, the president wants us to spend $48 billion we don't have just on homeland security. Excuse me, but Marine Corps brat that I am, I thought security came from those tough folks who make up the United States armed forces. |ret||ret||tab|

It makes no sense we can't pay the light bill, but we're go-ing to install a state-of-the-art security system. |ret||ret||tab|

The hawks are noisy. "We must kick some serious butt right now!" But there are other, calmer voices being heard. Pope John Paul II and other spiritual world leaders pray aloud and often for universal love and peace. Are they being silly and unrealistic? Or is it time to pay attention to history and react as adults instead of adolescent boys in a wrestling match?|ret||ret||tab|

Surely with good old Yankee ingenuity we can find a better, quicker way to spread peace.|ret||ret||tab|

We can't protect ourselves from crazy people. We've been at-risk since the start of civilization. We've all seen "Dr. No" and "Goldfinger." You can't protect the world against that kind of insanity. |ret||ret||tab|

But they are crazy, those who would take the lives of others. Our job as peacemaker is to take care of them, and I don't mean with an AK-47. Eliminate the causes of insanity and you'll eliminate the insanity. |ret||ret||tab|

Isolationism and aggression isn't the answer in today's world. We have a president who understands the importance of diplomacy and knows how to build a coalition. He should use that talent. |ret||ret||tab|

This isn't just America's fight. It's a fight for the entire world. Otherwise, humankind might vanish from the earth.|ret||ret||tab|

While out there with the international force that only America can lead, let's stay for a while before we pull out, until Af-ghanistan has traveled a little bit farther down the road to democracy and economic freedom. |ret||ret||tab|

Remember how we didn't help Russia and other countries when the Berlin Wall was ripped down? They needed us then they still do, in fact. Many Third-World countries, which are just now awakening to the awesome power of business, need help from us. There's plenty of business for everyone. |ret||ret||tab|

We don't need to use our secret military tribunal, either. Why not try the hooligans who have been captured so far in the World Court at The Hague? If it doesn't have the power, we should give it the power. |ret||ret||tab|

If they're convicted and remember, the rules of humanity mean a person is innocent until found guilty they can be sentenced to life without parole. Let them keep their prayer rugs. Maybe they'll find a more forgiving God in their isolation.|ret||ret||tab|

Now, more than ever, we must unite as one world to ensure our planet properly evolves, instead of exploding into World War III. [[In-content Ad]]