Sane???

Dan Warner writes a column in the local Fort Myers paper and I generally consider him to be the fount of all common sense. However, the column he wrote about last week's London event belied my opinion. I was feeling uneasy as I read it, but when I read, ". . . which means the SANE response is to remain AFRAID," I threw the paper at the TV.

Despite their carefully scripted protestations to the contrary, "afraid" is exactly where Bush and his lap dog, Blair, want you; "afraid" is exactly where the terrorists want you; "afraid" is exactly where Halliburton/KBR/Cheney want you; "afraid" is where the CIA and NSA and FBI and all those other three-letter organizations want you. Afraid to criticize a rotton, corrupt government; afraid to say the United States is itself teetering on tyranny; afraid to speak truth to power; afraid to even live your life in peace. "Fear is the great motivator," a former boss of mine used to say. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," a former president once said. Truer words . . .

What exactly are we to fear? Life? Not I. Death? We're all going to die, Mr. Warner, and that's one thing I'd stake my life on. We don't get to choose when and we don't get to choose how. I'm not afraid, in fact, I refuse to be afraid. I wish for you, and all God's children, that same confidence and peace.