Narcissism

a letter from a recent boston globe:

My husband’s in Iraq

HOWELL, Mich.

During the first Gulf War, I was a student at Central Michigan University. My favorite professor wore a black arm band and talked passionately about Vietnam and our corrupt government. I wrote letters to soldiers, but attended peace marches and political speeches against the war. Back then, I was a liberal, feminist, prochoice Democrat. My first elected position was as a precinct delegate in the Democratic Party. While I was spoon-fed the values of the Democratic Party growing up, I hungered for something more. I'm a 32-year-old stay-at-home mother of three, and I started to realize that the government couldn't fix families or the world -- people needed to. But Democrats don't believe that. Hillary Clinton captured the liberal outlook when she said, "It takes a village to raise a child." Contrary to Clinton's opinion, it takes just a mom and dad.

When 9/11 happened, I knew the country would have to change. This is really when the Democratic Party left me forever. We can no longer apologize for being Americans. We can't afford to feel bad because we are a great nation that has done well. We can't rely on the approval of the international community before we protect our own interests. We need a president who is committed to defending America.

My husband left this week to report to active duty. As a Michigan National Guard member, this is his first deployment. With his life on the line, this election has become very personal to me. I fear for the country my husband will come home to if John Kerry is elected. Will my husband be treated like the vets returning from Vietnam? Kerry and people like Michael Moore have already set that trend into motion.

President Bush is a man of faith. He is a man of his word. He is the right man for a time such as this. I trust my husband's life in his hands.

-- Wendy Day

"We can no longer apologize for being Americans. We can't afford to feel bad because we are a great nation that has done well."

????????????

i thought we are fighting religious fundamentalists who are aghast at the freedom accorded women here due to the very feminism that this woman now disdains with so much sneering. of course, you can't help but notice that she gets in a dig at hillary clinton for being so uppity and political instead of just standing behind her man.

also, what exactly does domestic social policy (i think that's what she means by 'fixing families') have to do with the war on terror? osama didn't attack us because we give welfare payments to poor single mothers. he attacked us because... i dunno... because he's a fucking nutjob with little to no respect for human life, specifically american human life.

michael moore does not attack the troops. his latest movie raised some important issues regarding the fact that poor youth fill the military's lower ranks. i think it's a good idea to ask why this country's national security apparatus requires so much from those who have so little. moore may be guilty of being occassionally patronizing towards the troops, but he is not and did not advocate spitting on them, attacking them, or calling them baby-killers upon their return from iraq.

and then the kicker is that she supports bush because he's a 'man of faith'.

this letter ventures so far into the realm of the ridiculous that i can't help but wonder if it's astroturf.