LETTERS NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition

• Published in: Newsday
• Main Author: Andrew Malekoff, Douglas Morrow, William Lewis, Genevieve F. Vignola, Joe Brancati, William F. Stuber, Lawrence Reider
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Long Island, N.Y Newsday LLC 28.07.2003
• Edition: Combined editions
• Subjects: Bush, George W

Sheldon Wolin has written a real howler ["A Kind of Fascism Is Replacing Our Democracy," Viewpoints, July 18]. When he began by describing Sept. 11, 2001, as "hastening a significant shift in our nation's self-understanding," I knew we were in for a bumpy ride. Wolin then creates two descriptions of the United States that I had never heard used before: "superpower democracy" and "imperial democracy." Before he explains what these mean, he gets on to the real meat of his essay: good old-fashioned bashing of President [George W. Bush]. After the curious opening, every line he writes charges that Bush equals fascism equals Nazism equals American totalitarianism. The most convoluted thinking in the piece is when he allows that the real Bush domestic agenda is to ramp up the "war on terrorism"; direct our resources "toward endless war"; promote "tax cuts in the midst of recession"; and, somehow, "render the citizenry more dependent on government." In effect, Bush's end game is to become a Democrat through the war on terrorism! Amazing. In response to the GIs who made derogatory remarks about their superiors when their duty was extended in Iraq: A court martial is in order. But the real problem started when the media approached the GIs for comments about the extension. Griping is part of a GI's makeup and should not be broadcasted. I was a Marine whose three- year enlistment was up in July 1951, when President Harry S Truman extended all enlistments for one year. We all had a lot to say, but we said it to each other - not our parents, the media, etc. And the next day we went back to our duties and performed.