Bush Peddles Fear to Nation

When Franklin Roosevelt was elected president in 1932, our country was in the midst of an economic depression. Banks were failing; farmers were losing their farms; 25 percent of the work force was unemployed; and the stock market had crashed. Yet, in his inaugural address, FDR said, “My fellow Americans, we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” In contrast, the Bush administration's platform seems to be “We have nothing to offer you but fear itself.” They tell us we should fear flag burning, gay marriage and illegal immigrants from Mexico. They say they are being patriotic in calling these fears to our attention. But isn't there something un-American in telling us we need to be a fearful people? John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington must be rolling over in their graves. Don't we really need a Ronald Reagan to tell us that “It is time for morning in America” or a Bill Clinton to tell us that “America is a place called hope”? Harold A Clark, Egg Harbor Twp Published June 23, 2006 in the Atlantic City Press