Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Friday, Oct. 10, 2008

Early-morning call to fight against fear

Sunday morning at 4 a.m. I awoke and could not get back to sleep.

The book I am currently reading, "The Mayflower" by Nathaniel Philbrick came to my aid for a short time, diverting my thoughts from the turmoil of these times to times passed. This book chronicles the turmoil from 1600 to the early 1700s in New England, as Europeans came to the eastern seaboard of North America displacing Native Americans.

The book is excellent, in my opinion, but its diversion power was not enough. I had to stop and write this appeal to all citizens: In this election, we must reject any party that attempts to use fear and innuendo of terrorist associations. We must reject those who would continue to erode our civil liberties for the sake of security. The lesson of history is that life has never been secure and only a people that are unwilling to surrender their civil rights will be able to overcome trends toward tyranny.