Comment From an American

By: Diane Fabian

Actually, I think "sociopath" more clearly describes those in the right-wing jihad in the U.S....

Ignorance is, and has always been, the greatest enemy of mankind. Reading what my good neighbors from Canada are saying about the current insanity here shows that much needs to be said.

While America was wrapped up in other concerns, assuming that the democracy was strong and solid, we had a political coup. As far as I can determine, Americans initially chose to face this crisis as it has faced political crises in the past: let it run its course, trusting that justice will prevail. But this situation is something new. Nothing has gone as expected. We have this rich maniac in the White House, and don't know what to do about it. Too much has happened that couldn't happen, and it happened too quickly. We aren't sure what we are dealing with.

What scares me is that other nations have the notion that what Bush decides is also what the American people want. We don't. I don't personally know a soul who wants war. We want the murderers of Sept. 11 brought to justice. Justice won't be obtained by the indiscriminate bombing of towns and villages.

It appears the international community is still clinging to the (false) stereotype that the U.S. is rich. It isn't, and never was. Wealth has always been highly concentrated on a small portion of the population. The past 20 years has brought the impoverishment of the American working class. We have the greatest income disparities of any industrialized nation.

The majority of family-supporting jobs have been broken down into part time, low wage jobs. The average worker's earnings have lost some 40% of its buying power over the past 20 years.

If the "national mood" can be summed up in one word, I think that word is "anxiety". Much of this anxiety is due to the international notion that this President - who was not elected by the people - has the support of the American people.