Letter to the Editor

Dear editor:

On Saturday, March 20th at the Syracuse rally against the Bush regime’s policies in Iraq, the last speaker ended his remarks with his support of third party candidates in the next US presidential election. The gentleman’s remarks were left uncontested. Though in fact a moot point in New York State, where victory will most probably go to the Democratic presidential nominee, the remark requires a response.
I know that SPC, as a matter of long-standing policy, won’t officially back any political candidates. However, this does not preclude presenting arguments on election tactics. I concur with Thom Hartmann (When Democracy Failed: the Warnings of History, 3/26/03, excerpted in March 2004 PNL; full article available at <www.commondreams.org> or <www.thomhartmann.com>) that the situation in the US under the present Bush regime eerily parallels Germany in the early 1930s.
The parallels are ignored at our peril. I say this as a child and grandchild of survivors and not-survivors of the Nazi regime’s policies pursued for the following twelve years in Germany. I am someone who decries the oft times trivialization of the terms “holocaust” and “Hitlerian”. Some would say I am “overly” sensitive; whatever that connotes, I know not. With that proviso, I repeat that to not pay attention to history condemns us to repeat it. The comparison, as much as I would wish not to have to use it, is pertinent and useful.
Therefore, we must unseat the illegal regime presently ensconced in the big white house in DC. So, given the present political context in the US of A, voting for the major party opposition candidate, as little opposition as he will provide, is a necessity in the upcoming presidential election.

With respect and appreciation,
elana levy
Syracuse