'What We Are Really Thinking?'
By Thomas D. Segel (05/13/07)
Harlingen, Texas, May 12, 2007: Earlier this week I was switching to different newscasts on television. Three times that evening the talking heads reported to me on the leading issue of the country. According to their polls Americans claim Iraq is their primary worry and the majority of our citizens are now against the war.
I found that statement hard to swallow for a couple of reasons. First of all, everyone should be against any war. However, most people know that once a country is engaged in war, it must be won. The second thing that bothered me was the statement that the war in Iraq was the primary concern of our people. I have a very wide circle of friends, associates, business leaders, relatives, and casual contacts. They are a mix of business oriented, education oriented, service oriented, and republican, democrat, conservative, and very liberal people. But, I have NEVER heard any of them say the war in Iraq was the main concern of their lives.
So, as I often do when searching for answers, I went to my mailing list of several hundred people and asked them a question. With a lead-in about what I had heard on television I asked...”What concerns you most?” I was amazed at the response. My usual number of replies tallies up to about 7 to 10 percent of my mailing list. On this question, 23% of the readers responded.
Heading the list of concerns was the conduct of government officials as a body and Congress in particular. Forty percent of those answering the question cited these matters as their lead concern.
Of equal weight was another forty percent, who had concerns related to everyday living at the top of their list. These were things most of us refer to as bread and butter issues.
Finally, twenty percent of those writing replies had major concerns about the war. Iraq was a matter close to their hearts, but few reflected what is called and anti-war attitude.
Edward Wilbur is a retired Marine. He says, “I feel that one of my main concerns is the total lack of care or concern by members of Congress for anything other than what they can gain for themselves.
He continues saying “Their insatiable greed for money and power has become an obsession with them. The fact that they are hell bent on doing everything within their power to destroy the Republican Party and everybody connected with it is the only thing that they can focus on. The one thing (forgotten) is the fact they were elected by the people to do what the people of this county want.
Wilbur concludes with “Hopefully there is a power greater that will intervene before our nation is destroyed.”
Another retired Marine is John Boring in Arizona. He too is focused on politicians, high gas prices and the flow of illegals across our borders. “And the treason-prone Congress that thinks it should be running the country instead of passing good laws and giving the President what he wants and needs to keep our troops safe and supplied.”
Terry Brady up in Anchorage, Alaska was very concise with his concerns. “A Sorry Congress. Almost as Sorry Administration, especially on immigration and pandering to extreme environmentalists.”
Barbara Smith feels the main concerns of her family are in tune with my personal view of what is taking place in our country, the sad and sorry congress, high gas prices, and a leaky border that still has a steady stream of illegal aliens pouring across daily. Reflectively, all of that goes back to the poor performance of Congress.
Leo Robert writes from State College, Pennsylvania. He says, “My concern is that we have lost control of our government. Politicians don’t care about the issues. They are only concerned about power and dollars. We have true patriots like the Minute Men who want to protect our borders and we have a president who calls them vigilantes. Our sovereignty is going away and folks remain asleep. Lawsuits have everyone afraid. The ACLU puts fear in everyone, including our politicians. Our schools and churches cave in to liberals because they don’t want to upset people. I think you get the picture.”
Wanda Greenhill is in the travel industry. Her concerns are, “Congress is in a sorry state and I believe the president is doing all he can for the American people. Unemployment is down, interest rates have been the lowest in years and none of us are privy to what is on his plate. It is easy to find fault and hard to be compassionate. High fuel prices are a concern for everyone. The summer as fast approaching and the travel business will once again see decreases rather than increases.”
Fred Carr is a retired Marine who says the war is a concern, along with high gas prices and illegal immigration. “What concerns me the most, though, are professional politicians. You and I can have our employment terminated due to poor performance. That doesn't apply to the politician very often. The politician, on the other hand, can only be ‘fired’ at an election. Even after losing an election they still have fringe influences with minorities, conservatives, liberals, etc.”
Carr also has a bone to pick with the American voters and non-voters. “Sometimes a non-vote is a blessing to these people (politicians). “
Carr says he often has conversations with people and during them asks, “Do you vote?” Resounding he says,” The answer is who cares? There’s nobody out there I support.”
Bob Johnston is a fellow Rotarian. He says his main concern is “The unethical behavior of professionals, especially in public service capacity. The selfish and greedy behavior of elected officials and the non punishment for offenses.”
Johnston is also concerned with the “lack of parental guidance and responsible participation, the magnitude of youth and young adults’ preoccupation with gadgets, the ever-increasing promiscuous behavior of young people and the abuse of the legal system for personal reward.”
Paula Martin is a legal secretary and an elder in her church. Her main concern is “My children and their well-being.” She follows this with a list of concerns including “The fact that society has become more self-absorbed...the lack of respect from pre-teens, teens and young adults toward authority and elderly people...the fact that violence in the real world, on TV, in movies, videos, etc. doesn’t seem to shock people any more, until it touches them directly...the high cost of education and the fact that many kids are not getting a good education...the lack or role models in society...and finally...the lack of support that people show toward our president and our military troops. Does the average person on the street really think they have a better perspective than our president and the military? I think the answer is no.”
Norma Delgado is the president of the Volunteer Services Council, working with people who have mental health concerns and indigent families. She is a daily commuter and says, “My main concerns are high gas prices and the high cost of college education.”
Serving in the leadership of Texas State Technical College is Mike Buck. When asked what really concerns him, he says, “How about the uncontrollable health care costs, or just plain costs of everything to include gasoline, utilities, education, war, peace and the Now Generation Song sung by 90+ year olds.”
My son, Jason, is a coach in the Smithville, Texas school system. He even wrote to register his concerns. In order they are, “Insurance premiums, high gas prices, public education and my son’s broken arm.”
Dennis Bradley is one of the respondents who are concerned about the war. He remarks, “What bothers me most is the aid and comfort given to the enemy by both the press and politicians. They did this during the Vietnam War and got thousands of my comrades in arms killed. They are now not only getting more of these kids killed, but getting them maimed beyond recognition. The politicians have caused our military to second guess itself...” He feels the military is micro managed by political elements to the point where inactions result in more troop deaths.
Another writer who has the war on his mind is Ronald Whaley who resides in Tallahassee, Florida. The disabled Navy veteran says, “Well I do get concerned about the war in Iraq because politicians will not allow those fighting the war to do their job. I have a son in the gulf right now, with a Marine Corps Air Wing and his safety depends upon everyone doing his or her job. I am concerned that our Congressional Leaders will declare the war lost while we have men and women in harms way. And nobody seems to think this is wrong. I am concerned that my grandkids go to schools and this day they could be shot while at school. I am concerned about the phony polls that say the majority of the people in America are against the war. Who are these people? I have never been asked or called by a pollster. It might be they don’t really want to know what I think.”
Eric Muth visited Walter Reed Hospital and talked to the wounded troops. He saw them with missing limbs and brain damage. He says, “They have given so much in a cause that is coming apart and it weighs heavily on my soul.”
He claims that “The insurgency employs the lessons learned from Vietnam and frankly their tactics have been working to a large degree because Congress has acted to aid them. The only thing missing at the moment is a ‘Baghdad Jane’. He goes on to conclude, “We lack leadership that is visionary for the better good. Instead we have leaders who are reactionary with an eye on the next election.”
Retired Army Colonel Harry Riley is concerned about the war in Iraq and has been for years. “My concern is why we are allowing it to sap our youth instead of pursuing a winning strategy. I’m concerned about the illegal population impact on security, the economy, safety, and the fact that our ‘nation of laws’ has gone under. I am concerned about the absolute hypocrisy of political figures, their lack of integrity and the melt down of American fabric.”
Riley closes saying, “I’m fearful America has no reasonable chance of recovery to its once held status of honor, strength, justice, and unity.”
Kevin Healy is a retired Air Force veteran. He writes from Little Compton, RI. “The simple but most unfortunate fact of the matter is most Americans do not have a dog in this fight. You need a microscope to find the tiny percentage of Americans that are directly involved in the Iraqi conflict. Never have so few been ignored by so many. If it were not for the daily body count flashing across our television screens on the nightly news the average American would not give a thought to what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. If it were up to me, I would tell the whole Middle East to stuff it. We would get the hell out of that part of the world, stop trading with that bunch of ideological madmen and bit the bullet on exploring and using our own vast natural resources.”
J. Bolton writing from the Rio Grande Valley is troubled by “the widespread, appalling lethargy in the United States regarding the certain spread of the Islamic faith, and what it will do to our way of life. It promises an express trip to paradise to anyone who commits the most heinous crimes one can imagine. It is insidious and growing and we do not have anyone in leadership who will oppose and aspect of it for fear of opposing a religious group...even though their religion obligates them to KILL US.” He concludes with a reminder that “Our Congress is supposed to provide leadership for the nation and what do we have in the leadership position. Pelosi, Reed and Bush. And we are supposed to have Hope?”
So there it is, an antidotal look at what Americans are listing as their main concerns. Some think nothing or little about the war. Many feel our Congress and other political leaders are the problem, rather than the solution. Even those who list the war as a major concern don’t feel we should ‘cut and run’. They look at Congress and the American media as the places to point the finger charging failure.
Semper Fidelis &Thank you.
Tom Segel
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