I have been following the columns over the last few days that have discussed religion in politics and that have either commended or ridiculed Bush as a supposed man of “resolve and faith.” First of all, I have to ask this: Exactly what faith is Bush following? He claims to be Christian, but his actions clearly prove otherwise. Christianity is the religion for the followers of Christ, who was known as the Prince of Peace, who lived in poverty among the poor and the outcasts, whose doctrine was to turn the other cheek and to love one’s enemies. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus Christ support or encourage violence of any kind. Now, I’m not saying that anyone, not any citizen or president of this country, must adhere to the teachings of Jesus. However, as Bush openly declares his “Christian” faith, he should be expected to actually be Christian and live as Christ wanted his followers to live. Frankly, Bush lives about as far from a Christian life as possible. He embraces an unjust, unnecessary war that has killed thousands of innocents and he caters to the greedy, the wealthy and the corporate, knocking more and more people into unemployment and poverty. Furthermore, anyone who states that Bush was re-elected “because he has the resolve and faith to lead the country through a bloody war in the accomplishment of a goal” (as published in a letter to the editor Thursday) should stop right there and ask: What faith, what religion, teaches and applauds “bloody war”? It certainly is not Christianity. Fifty-one percent of Americans re-elected Bush. The majority did so because of his moral values. Since when is peace not a moral value? Since when is it more of a concern to obstruct the rights of homosexual Americans that it is to protect the rights of Arab-Americans and other minorities? Since when is it a sin to kill an unborn child (abortion) but it is perfectly permissible to kill hundreds of innocent Iraqi children? If Bush is a man of morals, then I don’t even know what morals are anymore.

Secondly, I am tired of reading the columns of uneducated people. Where on earth are you receiving your information? Please tell me it’s not Fox News. Do yourselves a favor and visit some Web sites of alternative, independent news organizations that are not owned by millionaires in the Republican party who filter and abstract the news. It amazes me that so many Americans still have no idea about the Project for the New American Century, a document written and signed in 1997 by many people in the current administration. It clearly and frighteningly states that Iraq was to be preemptively invaded for purposes of spreading Americanized democracy. This is not a rumor started by Bush-haters; it’s an actual, real-life document. As Americans, we have the right and responsibility to educate ourselves – beyond watching the nightly news – as to what our government has done and is planning to do. I am not surprised so many Americans would rather sit back and watch television as Bush spouts supposed morals and skips with his dog in the White House lawn. The alternative would be to leave our comfort zone and learn the truth, which, I’ll admit, is very, very scary. But I would hope that one day enough of us will wake up and make a change before it’s too late.

Shaylah Kloska

Junior, English