An American's Letter to Jon Voight

[NanceGreggs]

RE your Letter to the American People, April 10, 2010:

You began your little self-serving dissertation predictably – as those of your mindset have a tendency to do.

“In one year, the American people are witnessing the greatest lie that is cleverly orchestrated by President Obama and his whole administration. The lie is a potent aggression that feeds the needs of people who either have not educated themselves enough to understand the assault upon us all or the very poor and needy who live to be taken care of.”

The thing is, sir, that most Americans understand that their collective responsibility as citizens goes beyond merely keeping a nation healthy and fed. That responsibility includes empathy and compassion, a desire to extend a helping hand to those in need, a determination to lift those who have fallen by the wayside – often through no fault of their own – and render whatever assistance is necessary to get them back on their feet.

Your use of the phrase “the poor and needy who live to be taken care of” is a pitifully sad commentary on yourself as a human being, as well as an American. It implies that there are those whose very existence is nothing more than a drain on society as a whole, people who have nothing to contribute – nothing to say that is worth listening to, nothing to teach that is of value, nothing to usefully add to the lives of those around them.

I have never met such a person, sir – and if you believe you have, I would suggest that you just couldn’t be bothered to look beyond your own inflated sense of yourself in order to see the true worth that resides in others.

“Now the lie goes very deep and President Obama has been cleverly trained in the Alinsky method … a socialistic, Marxist teaching and with it, little by little, he rapes this nation, taking down our defences, making new language for the Islamic extremists.”

Again - as is oh, too predictable - you make such statements without offering any basis in fact. Exactly who “trained” President Obama in this method, and when? Precisely how is he “taking down our defences”? As for the phrase “making new language for Islamic extremists” – well, quite frankly, it is simply too nonsensical to deserve comment.

“The world (that) looked up to us as a symbol of hope and prosperity now wonders what will become of the entire world if America is losing its power.”

Of what power do you speak, sir? The power to illegally invade other nations based on lies about non-existent WMDs? The power to incarcerate and torture innocents for political purposes? The power to plunder the treasury in pursuit of aggression that only corporations and political cronies benefit from? The power to look the other way while unsafe foods line our store shelves, while lead-laden toys are offered to our children, while healthcare insurers leave people to sicken and die in order to increase their profits, while bankers extort millions from hard-working citizens in order to reward themselves with obscene remuneration?

I hope this doesn’t come as too much of a shock to you, sir, but the world does not “look up” to such behaviour as being a symbol of prosperity. They look down on it as a symbol of greed, that renders many citizens completely without hope of the better life they’d envisioned for themselves and their children.

“The American people who understand exactly what is taking place have come together in the thousands, vowing to try to stay together as a unit of love and freedom for all men and women … Every loving American for peace and truth and the security of our nation must come out and join the Tea Parties in their states.”

We have, unfortunately, seen the “love and freedom” these Teabaggers represent. We have heard them hurl racial epithets, taunt our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, and incite violence against their fellow citizens who disagree with them. And we have also heard people of your ilk deny such things – despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

In addition, we have seen their placards and signs – mis-spelled, factually incorrect, and grammatically incoherent to the point of being laughable. How ironic that you should refer to “aggression that feeds the needs of people who either have not educated themselves enough to understand the assault upon us all”, and actually mean anyone other than these ignorant bigots who take pride in their lack of understanding of the most basic government processes, as well as the words they use.

“Every loving American for peace and truth and the security of our nation must come out and join the Tea Parties in their states. The opposition will continue their tactics; they will lie and plant their own bullies amongst us.”

Thanks for the invitation, Jon – but no thanks. The fact that Teabaggers are gathering, as you have stated, “in the thousands” should be an indication that they are, in the great scheme of things, nothing more than a handful of voices in a country of over three hundred million.

They are small in number because most Americans do not share their views, nor wish to associate themselves in any way with what they represent. It’s as simple as that.

As for their opposition lying and planting bullies in their midst, suffice to say that when it comes to lying and bullying, they need little help from the outside in either regard.

Our founding fathers created these “united” states of America – not the “every man for himself” nation you seem to believe so strongly in. They taught us that our strength lies in unity, each citizen dependant on the other – each man’s individual freedom dependant on freedom for all, not the chosen few.

We have also learned from our immigrant forebears that inherent in being part of a nation that affords an opportunity for prosperity is an obligation to contribute to the prosperity of all; that we are each diminished when our neighbor is marginalized due to their financial standing, their ethnicity, their sexuality, their religious beliefs; that we are collectively responsible for the well-being of the individuals who make up the whole of our citizenry.

“Everyone must pay close attention to who stands next to them. We can weed out the liars and agitators.” Yes, Jon – we certainly can. And we, The People, intend to do so.

In closing, I would add something on a personal note. I have long admired your ability to bring so many characters to life on the screen; you have added immensely to the films we have come to love, and the stories we have enjoyed being told via the magic of movies that are so much a part of our culture.

That being said, I would be remiss if I did not add that your ability to act the part of a conscientious citizen of these United States is, to put it mildly, woefully inadequate – in fact, appallingly so.

Many an actor has endeavoured to play a role that proved too challenging for his skills – and the role of a decent American Citizen is obviously beyond your talents.

Yours Truly,
Nance Greggs


(The above is for "Cha" - I hope I have not disappointed.)


Edited to add a link to the meandering mindlessness of the aforementioned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS-n9nKg7dM