Teacher

After almost 8 years of living under what has become a dictatorship, I am very, very tired. My nephew is going to fight in a war that was based on lies. The president of this country says he thinks of these soldiers every night. However, I truly doubt his mind has the capacity to hold more than 2 or 3 thoughts at a time, which would, of course, make it impossible for him to think of the more than 4,000 american lives lost, not to mention the lives of 100's of thousands Iraqis murdered in this attrocity. I live in a country which began as having the most high ideals of human thought and will. I now live in the same country which has abandoned its constitution, tortures prisoners, spies on it's own citizens and the leaders of this conspiracy confess to be followers of Christ. This is not the Christ I learned about in church, this is not the Christ I ever want to meet. The poor, the people of color, the gays, the intelligentia are now at risk. Children have been denied health care; if you visit our inner cities, you will see segregation; those in power will claim it doesn't exist. But you must ask yourself "why is the majority African American, or Hispanic?" Why is funding for children in these areas consistently cut? Why is a tax refund being given to Americans, who have paid taxes, instead of giving it to the people who need it the most? Is this the "Christian God " our president believes in? To my dismay, and many other US citizens, it appears so. I am a teacher in the inner city. I teach first grade. My children are some of the most talented and inspirational kids you might meet!!! I am also a gay man. I hope my humble tirade will reach Mr. Chavez. I have the utmost respect for his attempts at unifying South and Central America. Si, Se Puede!!!
Timothy R. Behnke