War.

We started a war.

The reasons are obscure. Before we invaded, I thought this is happening because Hussein tried to assassinate President Bush's father. President Bush is getting revenge--consciously or unconsciously. (I thought Hussein tried to assasinate the elder President Bush because during his administration, we bombed his home and killed his adopted 1 year old son. Is that even true? I remember a news article from long ago-)

I thought perhaps President Bush is his mother's favorite, not his dad's. Bush is an insecure man in a job way over his head. He is trying so hard to prove himself a man in front of his dad that he would play dice with thousands of lives.

I saw the towers crumbling on 11 September 2001. That the great pain inflicted on us with those acts was being transferred to others by our government without consciousness.

I thought President Bush has the support of his administration and many large companies because war is good for making them money. And many Americans including me haven't a clue who the terrorists are. Americans might support a war that felt like we were taking action, even though Osama bin Laden was still on the loose and not even in or from Iraq.

Still, the months before, I wrote my letters. I couldn't believe the congress and senate would really let this happen. But they did--the Republicans and many Democrats.

I feel certain we would not be fighting a war in the country of Iraq if the Republican Party had not appointed Bush to run for President based largely on his name recognition, and supported him no matter what. Thousands and thousands of people would not be dead. Children maimed. Children in both countries orphaned. Damaged children with damaged parents. Our treasury not only empty but in great debt. Many, many citizens having difficulty taking pride in being American.

We have become a lopsided country, our checks and balances hobbled.

When I was young, I considered myself an 'independant' because I like to consider each person who ran for office based on his or her own merits and agenda. Later, I became a Democrat because the issue of protecting the health of our country's natural resources: rivers, parks, air, trees, mountains, was so important to me, and the Democrats were the only party that seemed to pay any attention to ecology.

I am not comfortable talking politics. I have no expertise. But this is about war. We pass on the pain we receive. The pain we inflict is passed on again. So. This is the truth--that this is what I am thinking about today. Voting day. I hope we all will think.