Letter: Government terrorizes U.S.

Monday, Oct. 22, 2001 | 9:07 a.m.

If you are not paranoid by now, then you are comatose. There is a "100 percent certainty" of more attacks, opines Attorney General John Ashcroft, seconded by Sen. Richard Shelby. In their self-fulfilling prophecy, we were hit by anthrax.

False alarms followed and a frightened nation provided perfect diversion for those who do mayhem behind the headlines. Redistricting, for example, that gives the Republican Party a tremendous advantage in sheer numbers. More tax cuts for the advantaged, ANWR drilling, judgeships and all the fast track bills that do no good for America. While you are otherwise occupied by the media, who propagate nonstop terror in the form of anthrax misinformation, your elected representatives are taking advantage of your inattention to promote their selfish agenda.

We are told Osama bin Laden's aim is to terrorize America. He can save his energy -- our government is doing a swell job.

When 20,000 people die each year from flu, and vaccine is not available to my doctor, don't tell me that Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has every man, woman and child covered for "any emergency," as he casually spoke of a possible smallpox threat.

We have a system in disarray, the information we're hearing is confusing, misleading, inaccurate and contradictory. It's pure Keystone Cops mentality and we deserve better.

Like the man said, "It's better to be silent and appear a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

VIVIEN CARDINAL