Had another LTTE printed in my local paper.

[Terran]

Maybe I'll become that crotchety opinionated old man who becomes known to every reader in town. I've gotten some positive in-person comments, though, from people I don't even know, which surprised me. I guess the people who now hate me are reluctant to say anything to my face.

Dear Editor: Regarding Doug A's response to Robert B., printed Nov. 20.

As "they" say, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse," and neither is ignorance of the facts. Doug A. responded to Robert B. on several assertions he made with the continuing refrain, "Show me the proof, there is no proof, it's not true just because you say it's true." These days, with information at your fingertips, there's no excuse for not already having the proof. Doug, I suggest you type some of the following searches into your preferred Internet search engine and see what you come up with:

* On the Bush administration's neglect of returning veterans (whether it's criminal or merely reprehensible): try "Iraq vets benefits cut" (you might check the Veterans for Peace Web site.) Also try "Iraq vets homeless;" that's a real doosey.

* On the Bush administration's alleged atrocities in Iraq: try "Iraq white phosphorus civilians."

* On Dick Cheney's giving false reasons for invading Iraq: try "Downing Street Memo."

Finally, Doug stated that, "WMDs were not the only reason for going to war." Well, I'm sorry to tell him that he's wrong there, too. I want Doug to search for "Bush Iraq letter Congress," and under the very first result, at the White House Web site, he'll find the text of the letter Bush sent to Congress stating the official reasons for invading Iraq.

To paraphrase those reasons: the threat to the United States posed by Iraq's WMDs; Iraq's failure to comply with the UN's resolutions regarding WMDs; and Iraq's participation in the 9/11/ attack on the United States.

Know what, Doug? Not one word is true.

You may think I'm jesting with you, but I'm serious: do some research and educate yourself on what's really going on. Maybe then you won't be so quick to give Bush a pass. Another thing "they" say is, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."

Terran