Letters to the Connecticut Post - - - - - - - - - October 2002 - Reflections on the U.S. Attack on Iraq Dear Editors, Tens of thousands of Americans recently converged in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles to lift their voices against the unconstitutional and dangerous policies of the Bush administration concerning Iraq. This gathering reflected the beauty of diversity that America stands for, as well as the passion and energy that so many share concerning the shaping of our country's future. In spite of this, the early morning "news" programs chose to focus on the fascinating story of Winona Ryder's impending shoplifting trial. The power and implications of October 26's activities were completely censored. What is so frustrating and disheartening is that, by making these biased and money-driven choices, major media is insulting the collective intelligence of our citizenry. Instead of the diversity and drama that is unfolding, we are fed a steady diet of fluff promoted by a particular ideology. We deserve better. Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - February 2003 Dear Editors, In his recent thoughtful letter to the Connecticut Post, Stanley Newman displays a curious affection for completely missing the larger issue at hand. Charging Saddam Hussein with "obfuscation" is an embarrassing irony given the complete transparency of the Bush administration's beating the war drums for American imperialism. The pretense of an imminent military threat from Iraq is nothing but more pathetic politics of distraction served to U.S. citizens by our inept and out-of-touch president-select. Newman's apparent disdain for "peace activists" is in itself troubling enough (are war activists the only "true Americans"?) However, he again misses the point by crediting Hussein with providing advocates of peace with "fodder". In truth, all the fodder necessary for anyone passionate about peace can easily be accessed through the sadistic agenda of this administration with the complicity of mainstream media. Amidst the current dreary economic climate, budget cuts for schools and social programs, and the venomous treatment of our own poor by this government, as well as the disintegration of civil rights and our cities becoming police states, any activity in Iraq is at best irrelevant. Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - March 2003 Dear Editors, I feel compelled to take issue with the Connecticut Post's March 18 editorial, "Bush must back up words with action". In this editorial, it is stated that the welfare of the American soldier must be "our No. 1 concern", and also "a swift American victory will result in a flow of medicine, food and supplies like Iraq has never seen." These sentiments reflect the typical self-serving and self-aggrandizing that has infected U.S. political policy for decades. At this point in human history with the U.S. maintaining the deadliest and most powerful military since humans populated planet Earth, our "No.1 concern" must be to prevent the destruction of the planet, by promoting peace. Blind "patriotism" has long outlived its usefulness. There is absolutely no call for a mass murder of Iraqi citizens. Justifying this by promising "floods of medicine, food and supplies" is a grotesque hypocrisy, in light of what the U.S. government has inflicted upon Iraq for the past twelve years in terms of daily bombings and cruel sanctions which contribute to the deaths of children. This monumentally inept president-select is on a Messianic quest that violates the Constitution, the will of millions of American citizens and peoples around the globe, and virtually guarantees further retaliation such as witnessed on 9/11. Bush and his clan must be impeached as soon as possible. Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - April 2003 - A Response from a Connecticut Post reader: Not another letter from professional America-hater Will Duchon of Milford! Before the dust had settled from 9/11, he was in print declaring that we had brought the destruction upon ourselves and had no right to fight back against those who wish us dead, and he has since penned several more rants on the subject of U.S. "imperialism". Duchon, of course, is free to write whatever he wants to under the protection of the First Amendment, but he must not go unchallenged when he departs dramatically from the truth of world events. In the case of his latest misuse, he bemoans "a mass murder of Iraqi citizens" by the U.S. military. There has been no such thing. Every reliable print and broadcast journalist has noted the surgical precision with which our forces have conducted the current action in order to minimize civilian casualties while striking legitimate military targets. Not once does Duchon mention Saddam Hussein. I would suggest that it is the Butcher of Baghdad and not the U.S. that has inflicted the Iraqi people with oppression, torture and murder. Those who wished for Saddam to remain in power for life (and to be succeeded thereafter by his equally ruthless sons) are the true enemies of the suffering Iraqis. I am curious as to why, since he has never had one good thing to say about the nation, Duchon continues to live here? I would be happy to buy him a one-way ticket to the country of his choice to relieve him of the agony of living in a society he despises. D. Hubbard - - - - - - - - - April 2003 - A Reply to D. Hubbard Dear Editors, This is written in response to D. Hubbard's preemptive attack on my character, political views, and letters to the Connecticut Post. I thank Hubbard for providing yet another example of the tactics usually resorted to by hard-line conservatives when confronted with dissenting points of view: venomous personal attacks, ill-informed statements presented as hard facts and the old standby of name-calling. Hubbard claims that "every reliable print and broadcast journalist has noted the surgical precision with which our forces have conducted the current action in order to minimize civilian casualties". I would be very interested to know exactly which print and broadcast journalists Hubbard is referring to. Undoubtedly, these would be mainstream U.S. media (CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, etc.) If Hubbard had the interest or courage to explore coverage of the war from non-mainstream or foreign journalistic sources (The London Guardian, BBC, Pacifica Radio, The London Independent, etc.) he might have to face the ugly truth that our sanitized evening news broadcasts avoid at all costs. Where do we ever see coverage and photos of people like Bakhat Hassan, an Iraqi civilian who lost 11 family members at the hands of U.S. soldiers at a Najaf checkpoint? Hassan's two daughters (ages 2 and 5) had their heads blown off by rifle fire while their mother Lamea watched helplessly. Don't look to CNN or "The O'Reilly Factor" to report this. Where do we see the story of Doha Suheil, a 5 year-old whose legs and spine are filled with shrapnel from a U.S. "smart bomb" exploded near Baghdad? Not on Fox News. There are literally hundreds of similar horror stories that will go unreported in U.S. media. Why? Because to report these crimes would tarnish the anodyne of "America The Good", an image fearfully clung to through blind "patriotism". When other nations perpetrate murder, we call it terrorism. When the U.S. or its allies perpetrate murder, we call it "Operation Iraqi Freedom" or another such puerile misnomer. Hubbard opened his attack by referring to me as a "professional America-hater". Mr. Hubbard, please listen closely: neither you, nor any other individual or group has a monopoly on patriotism. My anger and disgust toward the current (illegitimate) Bush administration and its immoral military policies arises from my deep love for this country and the immense potential for good inherent in our people. America was founded on dissent. The First Amendment protection Hubbard referred to which allows me to write these words is the very same protection that is being threatened by this administration in its insane thirst for power and global economic control. President Bush does not represent the highest ideals of our citizens, and he never will. America and the world deserve much better. Hubbard's letter closed with an offer to buy me a "one-way ticket to the country of my choice". In fact, I am scheduled to give a concert in Baden, Germany. With gratitude, I hereby publicly accept Mr. Hubbard's kind offer to cover my airfare for this trip. Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - August 2003 Dear Editors, Not since the grand opening of Krispy Kreme Donuts has there been such impassioned public reaction to a new local business. The novelty of hot donuts wore off rather quickly compared to the similarly hot items offered by the vexatious Penthouse Boutique (Milford) and its equally pernicious little cousin Video Pleasures (Devon). Judging by the inspired outrage of local religious leaders, elected officials, and alarmed citizens moved to take up their signs in protest, it is clear that these establishments and all that they represent pose a most serious threat to our children and families. Obviously, the sale of sexy lingerie, adult toys and videos poses a much higher social threat than the several hundred liquor stores in the area. I suspect that of the 140 alcohol related deaths in Connecticut in 2002, roughly 75% of these tragedies could have been avoided by banning adult videos and lingerie. As well, the abundance of pawn shops in the Milford area need not concern our moral leaders; most of the stolen merchandise sold at these lofty establishments reflect society's troubling preoccupation with material possessions; (thus the lack of protesters and religious condemnation.) Selling just one bottle of Strawberry-flavored Massage Oil to a wide-eyed youngster far outweighs any minor inconvenience caused by the elimination of SAGA benefits for uninsured individuals dealing with drug addiction. First things first, after all! And thankfully, proceeds from sales of state Lotto tickets (available at most liquor stores) have generated abundant funding for education, eliminating the need for our religious and civic leaders to concern themselves with the decline of literacy and vocational training. Given all of these blessings, the one scourge on our community's complexion remains the sinful base of all evil:Penthouse Boutique and Video Pleasures. Having considered this at length, I offer a reasonable solution, in the spirit of community. The management and personnel working for Penthouse Boutique, Video Pleasures, and similar establishments need to be subjected to the ancient yet effective punishment known as "stoning". Because we live in more sophisticated times this sentence must be carried out in an orderly fashion, and with deference to those righteous leaders who so boldly have defended the decency of family life. So, at the allotted day and time of the stoning, I suggest the following order of implementation: 1. First Stones are to be cast by the religious authorities, (which also choose the choicest stones.) 2. Elected Officials follow the lead of clergy; depending on which way the wind is blowing. 3. Concerned Citizens may complete the sentence, by accentuating the work of their moral and civic leaders. The only remaining issue is the dispersal of the loathsome goods. A simple solution would be to simply sell these items to all the upstanding pawnbrokers. The proceeds then are to be divided between the clergyperson claiming to have the biggest church (size matters here), and the rest sent off to state legislators in order to balance the budget. Rev. Will Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - February 2004 - Re: Gay Marriage Amendment Dear Editors, The "compassionate conservative" President-select Bush certainly does not represent "morals that Christians embrace", as reflected by Pastor James A. Miller. I request that pastor Miller, and President-select Bush both kindly refrain from pretending to speak for all Christians. A world leader who willingly has inflicted death and destruction upon innocent civilians in a pursuit of empire does not reflect "morals that all Christians embrace". Neither do Bush or Miller represent "all Christians" when they perpetuate homophobia, and claim Divine authority regarding marriage. The decision to marry is an extremely personal and spiritual decision made by any couple whether heterosexual or homosexual. Those who strongly favor separation of church and state cannot arbitrarily choose which issues the Constitution should or should not mandate, thereby transforming personal bias into law. The overriding message all the world's religions speaks to an unbounded and overwhelming love bestowed on humanity by God, Allah, or whatever name given to the Creator. Exclusion and alienation have no place in this. Same-sex marriages are in essence simply marriages, presumably based on love and commitment, and do not threaten society nearly as much as fear-based homophobia and prejudice. So please, Mr. Bush and Mr. Miller, take care of the log's in your own eyes before presuming to speak for "all Christians". Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - March 2004 - Re: Iraq Anniversary Dear Editors, This first anniversary of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq must not pass unnoticed. In New York City and many other major cities throughout the world, millions of people are raising their voices against this horrific and unnecessary war. Because of Bush's blatant lies and deceptions, and because of the exploitation of 9/11/01 hundreds of US military personnel and thousands of civilians are now dead. The atrocity waged in the name of the United States ranks among one of the very worst war crimes in world history. Bush and his advisers need to be held accountable and prosecuted. Of course, this will not happen. However, let us honor the murdered by demanding accountability from our elected (or in Bush's case, selected) leaders. How? By writing, speaking out, and seeking the truth instead of accepting watered-down propaganda disguised as journalism. Let nobody continue to proclaim the necessity of this war. The weapons of mass destruction, Iraqi links to Al Queda, the threat to our national security: all lies. The Bush administration began its legacy in 200 as fraudulent. Hopefully, its legacy will end in 2004 when this group of terrorists exit the political scene. Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - August 2004 - Re: "Nader's Wrong Turn" Dear Editors, I could not disagree more with your fear-based criticism of Ralph Nader's decision to run for President. As noted by your columnists Ruth Conniff and Molly Ivins, Kerry's campaign certainly does not inspire any passion or enthusiasm, despite the urgency of the "anyone but Bush" mantra. Nader's outspoken honesty and condemnation of the status quo is not only refreshing, but urgently called for, especially after four years of the most atrocious and destructive administration in recent history. What is needed now is a President with vision, and humanitarian sensibilities, not another figurehead steeped in corporate money. After all the lies, deceptions, greed and terrorism perpetrated by Bush & Co., it is unfathomable to me that anyone could consider casting a vote his way. But it is not enough to settle for a mediocre alternative simply to avoid more of the same! Nader's message, and the voices of so many who resonate with his voice, must be heard, loud and clear, more urgently now than in 2000! Rev. Will Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - November 2004 - Reply to Letter Writers of 11/9/04 Dear Editors, Just one week removed from the disastrous election of 2004, the civilian population of Fallujah is suffering bombings and terrorism at the hands of US and allied forces, under the direction of George W. Bush, whom Mrs. Cynthia Starks calls "a man of courage, conviction and faith..." who "values life". This is a man, according to Mrs. Starks in whom Americans see "their values reflected." Most people I know do not value the destruction of life. Mr. Robert Wilson, of Milford credits Bush with protecting Americans from "the worst kind of thugs who murdered 3,000 people on September 11". Apparently, Mr. Wilson, like many Americans, is unaware that the attacks of 9/11 were not perpetrated by individuals from Iraq. Yet, US and allied forces have murdered at least 10,000 civilians in Iraq; voiceless and powerless people caught in a nightmare. Mr. Wilson suggests that as a clergyman I should "strive to bring Americans together for the good of the country...". I agree. However, I believe that the good of the country is best served by holding our so-called leaders accountable for their actions. I believe that our country is best served when its citizens seek the truth, rather than hiding behind a veil of blind "patriotism" which is indifferent to the suffering of human beings. Any reasonable thinking person knows well that the Bush administration has lied and deceived its way into this horrific war, based on false premises and justified by methodically exploiting the fears of the US public. Do Mrs. Starks or Mr. Wilson truly believe that the interests of Halliburton and the Iraqi war are purely coincidental? Mrs. Ann Labozzo seems to have firsthand knowledge of Bush's prayer habits and Bible literacy, claiming that Bush is a "compassionate and good Christian". Well, compassionate Christians do not callously instigate destructive forces that murder other humans, ravage homes and destroy families. Compassionate Christians do not excuse abuse of prisoners and maiming of children as "unfortunate collateral damage". Compassionate Christians do not glorify war. Instead, compassionate Christians humbly stand in awe and wonder at the sanctity of every human life, Christian or non-Christian, "American" or non-"American", and heed the words and deeds of the great Palestinian teacher who taught "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT - - - - - - - - - February 2005 - Re: Death Penalty Editorial (2/6/05) Dear Editors, Frank Keegan's editorial exposes some very disturbing inconsistencies that prevail in the psyche of death penalty proponents. Mr. Keegan focuses his argument on the case of Michael Ross, an easy target for anyone supporting state-sanctioned murder. Victims of crime must never be forgotten, and those whose lives have been destroyed by criminal acts deserve the highest consideration. Questioning the ethical validity of the death penalty is not synonymous with condoning heinous criminal acts. When considering state-sanctioned murder, all of the facts and research must be taken into account in order to intelligently determine its effectiveness. It is common knowledge that the majority of individuals on Death Row are people of color; Blacks and Hispanics, in particular. This points to the inequity of the criminal justice system, which too often benefits those with the financial means to afford competent and effective defense counsel. There is no doubt that many innocent people have been executed at the hands of the state, and this is tragic, because this is murder. Mr. Keegan's editorial defends the right of the press to publicize explicit details of crimes in order not to shield the public from horrific details. If Mr. Keegan believes this so passionately, then he as an editor cannot pick and choose which crimes to publicize. How many accounts of innocent civilian deaths of Iraqis and Afghan citizens have we read about on the pages of the CT Post? None, to my knowledge. Yet those victims of this "war", those children and families are just as dead as any murder victim. Ethically and spiritually, the death penalty is indefensible. Life, all life, is sacred, according to every major faith tradition. The same God who cries out for the lost lives of murder victims everywhere speaks to us through the scriptures saying "vengeance is mine, I will repay." Rev. William Duchon Milford, CT