I rather liked this image, which I found by googling "Happy Mexicans."
Sent to Sen. Lugar today:
Subject: Re: Some Trouble for the Republican Party
From: Scott Kenan
Date: June 29, 2010 1:52:27 PM CDT
To: Scott Kenan
Cc: pletcher@denison.edu, katz@denison.edu, djupe@denison.edu, davissf@denison.edu, boehmee@denison.edu, crossleyfrolickk@denison.edu, alumni@denison.edu, matson@denison.edu, voicesswell@aol.com, richard.carson.65@denison.edu, dean.hansell.74@denison.edu, BarackObama.com Jeremy Bird
Dear Senator Lugar,
First of all, I must admit I knew little of your record or mettle before checking your Wikipedia listing a few minutes ago. There, I was MOST impressed, and I salute you, although with a limp wrist. Double meaning here: of course I am gay (your Defense of Marriage Act vote was shameful!), but also, my unstarching is due to realizing that a man of your actual principals would not have voted in such partisan ways against several of the recent Democratic Party initiatives.
I consider partisan voting against one's own principals to be a traitorous act not only to oneself (most damaging), but to our country and to our shared Denison Tradition. (I do NOT require agreement with me on issues. Not at all. But a debate of REAL issues must begin to replace what the Republicans in Congress have been doing of late, and I feel absolutely certain that you know exactly what I mean.)
It seems to me that you are uniquely qualified to reform the Republican Party. I don't believe for a moment that you knew anything about the John Linder/Newt Gingrich illegal drug importation near-monopoly before I reported it to you several days ago. I doubt many Republicans of any level in the Party know what they have been supporting. I apologize for not also letting you know that a couple of days later, I wrote the IRS complaining that the same agents who have bedeviled my computers, phones, email, etc., managed to steal the entire contents of my Documents folder from my computer since I fled to Mexico nearly a month ago (to escape the near constant attempts of Republican partisans to commit me to a mental hospital, murder attempts, and other annoyances). The result being that i cannot file my taxes. I needed (and still need), advice. The IRS replied, but with a form letter saying some typical bureaucratic nonsense that does not apply to my situation. Those who choose to limit government have plenty of good examples to support that principal, although I only agree partially. In this case, paying attention to what I wrote and then responding appropriately would seem to be simple enough, but was impossible to the IRS.
Anyway, I suggested that to pay down much of the National Debt, the IRS go after the Republican Illegal-Drug Cartel. It would be like what they did with Capone years ago when they couldn't get him on bootlegging, but finally nailed him on tax evasion for same. HA! (I THINK it was Al Capone.)
I've been having too good a time here in Mexico, and have met some of the ex-pat community here in Colima, Colima. Mostly Europeans, and nearly all highly accomplished people in business. All find the situation in the US to be shocking, and in fact I was more than shocked when Ghana beat us in soccer, and everyone cheered more loudly for that announcement than when Chivas (11-time national futbol champ) won the game I was attending.
People in the US have no idea how low the rest of the world views us, and you cannot travel with the security of a Senator or the luxury of many a DU graduate and know the truth.
It is highly gratifying to meet so many warm Mexicans. And I am proud to tell you how many quickly tell me about all their old US-made appliances that they love so much. Then they complain that now all manufactured goods come from China, and they do not like Chinese goods. They want to by American again, and would be willing to pay at least a slight premium. Really. And frankly, does this not remind you of Cubans and their antique US cars? (Thank you for your initiative regarding Cuba!!!)
Everyone here (Mexicans, Americans, others), blames the Republican Party and especially the Bush family and Dick Cheney for the sad state of America. I must include myself. We see America as a hell-pit of delusion: people who have bought into a network of lies, which we refer to as THE SYSTEM. The extreme difficulties of getting OUT of THE SYSTEM generates most of the stories told and retold here among US citizens. I include myself, and must admit that my stores have curled some straight (literal sense) Euro-mutt hairs.
Sometimes I am too sad for my country, and this moment is one such time. My point here being that you, Sen. Lugar, are uniquely qualified to denounce and dismantle the lies (and drug trafficking!) of the Bush/Cheney/Limbaugh branch of your Party.
We need a strong Republican Party that once again has at least a shred of integrity. The Democrats deservedly rule now, but before long, it will be your turn again. The United States of America cannot afford to have Republicans deliberately, in their addiction and lust for money for only themselves, run us down any further toward being the Third World Country we may already have become.
I certain pray that I am wrong, but after visiting several countries during the last few years, and finding that middle class people in Latin America as well as other places enjoy generally lower real prices (Mexico being the ONE exception of those I've visited), better access to health care, education, broadband internet and other communications, and most importantly, a higher and more satisfying quality of life (Mexico was found in a recent accredited study to have the most happy citizens of any country -- despite also having many problems).
Please Senator Lugar: Do yourself, the great State of Indiana, and dear ol' Denny-Do proud. Condemn partisan politics (and privately or publicly take the Republican drug importers to task).
The Denison Community is watching.
"You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you Free." (Seen in stone at DU)
Gracias!
Scott D. Kenan, Denison '73
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