November 3, 2008
by Steve Osborn

I just ran across a copy of the letter that I sent to the Hon. Barbara Boxer on 21 April 1986. When she was still a congressperson.

Dear Ms. Boxer,

I wish that, sometime, when you are out here, you could sit down with me for a few minutes and explain to me what the government is all about and what its aims are. I am just a common working man with a family, a small home, a wife and two children. As you know, I have been in the service and have seen my share of nuclear weaponry. I want to see that ended, so my children may have a chance to grow up and hopefully make their contribution to the welfare of our planet.

To this end, I have written many letters to our various "World Leaders," the UN and various other people and organizations where I thought that what I consider "common sense" might prevail. I have, from time to time, sent you copies of some of this correspondence and upon occasion, you have been gracious enough to send me letters of encouragement. All my other efforts have, as near as I can tell, fallen into the void. That did not discourage me, for I felt that if enough people voiced their concerns, sooner or later, the leaders of the various nations would have to take notice and bow to public opinion.

The United States has always professed to be the moral leader of the world, and at times, I think it has been, but lately we seem to be achieving the status of world bully. Logic dictates that, for our own self-interest, we not do many of the things we have done and are continuing to do.

As I said above, I am just a common man. I have done a bit of reading and have an abiding interest in humanity and (hopefully) it's progress. Government is said to be full of experts and advisers in all fields. From my reading, I know the "Lex Talonis" is carefully adhered to in the Islamic culture. Russia will be reaping the consequences of Afghanistan as long as there is thirty-second cousin alive to remember and avenge a slain relative. Any policeman will tell you that, no matter how bitter the family fight, any outside threat will bring instant cooperation to repel the invader. Cops hate to be sent to family fights. In World War II, terror bombing of cities stiffened the resistance of every people upon which it was practiced. Even Japan might have hardened up. Dresden stiffened the resolve of an already beaten German people. And of course, the bombing of London ended all hope of a settlement with England for the Germans. And we all know what happened in Vietnam. For years the United States waited and hoped for a younger leader to take the reins in Russia, so a dialogue could commence and perhaps end the stalemate in nuclear arms. Finally, our prayer was answered.

We got a younger leader and a hopeful summit was attended despite the "Evil Empire" rhetoric by the person playing the role of President. The leader of Russia, on Hiroshima Day, announced a unilateral test ban.

"From this day forward, we shall not explode a nuclear weapon or peaceful device, if you will follow suit," he said.

Our "Leader" said, "we will allow you to come over and watch us set ours off."

In December, we set off a nuclear device. Russia said, "We mean it, we want a moratorium, no more nuclear bombs." We prepared to set off a second one. Russia started preparations for a test but said, "We mean it. If you will have no more tests, we renounce nuclear testing." We set off a second one, originally scheduled for April, in March. Russia said, "Please, make no more tests, and we will hold to the moratorium." In April, we set off yet one more. It actually took three bombs.

"Okay," Russia said, "you win, the moratorium is over, we will resume testing also."

"See," our "Leader," said, "the Russians are not to be trusted, they're ending their so-called moratorium."

Have you any idea how long it'll be before Premier Gorbachev sticks his neck out for something like this again? I'm sure he has his crazies to deal with over there also. And I'm sure that they're certainly rubbing his nose in "I told you so's," now.

The whole world has been moving toward sanctions against terrorism. Now, most of the world has sympathy for Qaddafi. Sure, it is easy to say, "Well, now the bastard knows how it feels to lose his kids to a bomb," but killing a 15 month old baby doesn't even any score. We boasted of our surgical precision, yet we hit the city and the French Embassy. After that was confirmed, our news broadcasts said it was the missing F-111 that did it and, in the same breath, blamed the Russians for the whole thing. For God's sake! The Russians are as tired of Qaddafi as the rest of us. But now they have sympathy for him and his people.

The Permanent Observer for the Arab League was interviewed, right after the attack. He indicated that, though the Arab nations have been at odds with Qaddafi, he is part of Islam and as such, they will now rally around him. Reagan could not even get permission to overfly the NATO nations to make the attack. Doesn't that signified something?

The thing that really boggles my mind is that the American People have apparently been largely sold on this. They have watched Red Dawn, Apocalypse Now, Rambo does the US and Vietnam, and a host of others of the same stamp, and now feel that whatever we do is right, as long as it kills someone and "teaches them a lesson." I fear the rest of the world is learning a lesson, but I don't think it is the one that Ronny Rambo was trying to teach -- or perhaps it is. If I can figure out the probable results of some of these actions, I must assume that these so-called experts have also been able to figure it out ahead of time, and that that is what they want.

Since I wrote the above paragraph, which was based upon a "national poll" taken after the raid, other agencies and newspapers have held their own polls to check the results and found the people against the raid by 70%. It appears that "the big lie" did not go out with Herr Goebbels after all.

There are some 4.85 Billion people on this planet, some 237 million of them in the United States. All but a few thousand of them ask nothing more than to be left in peace, to work out their own destiny. They wish to feed and provide for their families, give them clean water to drink and medicine for their ills. They ask no more. Very probably the majority of these people are not even aware of the power struggles of the "Great Powers," or of anything else beyond their village. They would probably appreciate assistance in the form of tools, clinics and water pipes.

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They can obviously be swayed to accept machine guns and advisors. Like the San Francisco Foundation's grant procedures, the help of the "Great Powers" is a two-edged sword, for with the aid comes advisors to tell you that your organization is inefficient and to receive the aid you must let their advisors change your organization into their image of what it should be. Much of the aid goes to the advisors. In this case, personal integrity, self-government and the right to the fruits of your endeavors -- your raw materials, ores, produce.

As I said before, 4.85 billion people on this planet want peace and an end to nuclear terror. Some handful or other, who apparently control governments and mass media, are allowed to sabotage all of our hopes, just to show their "macho" or get their forty (times 10 to the "xth" power) pieces of silver.

I received a letter back from the UN with a copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The letter closed with the following:

"Your proposal on international terrorism is something for only the General Assembly or the Security Council to consider. Therefore, you may be advised to re-direct your proposal to your government.

"Thank you for sharing your concerns with us and for writing to the Secretary-General."

What good will that do when my government is one of the terrorist nations?

I suppose I should be like a good German Jew of the 30's, keep my mouth shut, avoid politics, work hard and tremblingly await the knock on the door in the middle of the night.

It is obvious to me that the Congress is powerless to do any more than harass the flanks of the executive and whoever is writing the script. I read in the paper that Congress had warned Ronald McRambo that he'd better not make a strike on Libya without consulting them first. He called in three or four lackeys from congressional committees, told them that the US was going to make a strike on Tripoli. They asked when, and he looked at his watch. "Five, Four, Three..."

"Gee, Mr. President, the Congress is with you all the way."

"... Two, One, Now!"

Please explain to me about those checks and balances I read about in school. I apparently got it all wrong. Johnson could slaughter with impunity, set up a kangaroo court to investigate the assassination of the man of good will and ability who preceded him, Nixon could debase the office and get pardoned by the next lackey in the job, and the current creature in office can act like he's playing in the last remake of the "Gunfight at the OK Corral," with impunity. The presidency of the United States of America has been turned into a joke!

If the elected Congress of the United States cannot censure, restrict or impeach the unbridled misuse of power by the executive branch of the government, then the Congress is no better than the Reichstag of 30's and 40's Germany. A rubber stamp ornament to a dictatorship, there to serve at the pleasure of the dictator and give a versimilitude of democracy to pacify the gullible.

I cannot ever again write to another government's leader, except perhaps to give a profound apology for our actions. I certainly cannot write from a standpoint of US Morality.

Her answer to me, on April 29, 1986, follows.

Dear Stephen,

Your letter brings a lump to my throat, because you have articulated the madness that so often passes for international relations. I, too, am often uncomfortable with the role the United States has played, especially recently.

Even in your frustration, I am sure you realize that I don't have the answers you want. However, I am convinced that the only choice we have is to continue to express our beliefs and concerns. I went into politics because of my need to speak out and make an impact on government actions and continue to energetically stand up for what I believe are our country's important issues. I opposed Contra aid and have communicated to President Reagan my concerns about the recent Libyan attack.

Please continue to speak out. You are skilled in your ability to pinpoint the inappropriateness of our government's decision-making process. I encourage you to continue your correspondence with our leaders and consider writing also to media publications you respect.

In friendship,

Barbara Boxer

She read my essay There Must be No Day on the floor of the House on Hiroshima Day 1984.

As you know, I have continued to write and rage. I don't know if we have any effect, but I guess we just have to keep trying until the "last dog is hung," and I fear the trap is about to be sprung.

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Stephen M. Osborn [send him email] is a freelance writer living on Camano Island in the Pacific Northwest. He is an "Atomic Vet." (Operation Redwing, Bikini Atoll 1956, ) who has been very active working and writing for nuclear disarmament and world peace. He is a retired Fire Battalion Chief, lifelong sailor, writer, poet, philosopher, historian and former newspaper columnist.

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