I wrote a letter to Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga) my local senator on Oct. 23, 2009. It was a fairly long letter listing a number of my concerns. I had hoped that he would at the least hear my point of view even if he didn’t agree with me. But alas, the response he sent me showed quite well that not only did his staff miss the body of material in my letter, and not only did his staff respond inappropriately, but also that his stand on the one issue he did care to respond about was the complete antithesis of my concerns.

Below I have posted the original letter I sent along with the grammar mistakes I carelessly included. Following that is Mr. Saxby’s response.

Letter to Saxby Chambliss, Oct. 23:

Senator,

I write to you because I cannot help but acknowledge a growing threat to our nation’s national security. What I refer to are long-term trends that could destroy the success of business, put our nation’s leaders in rags and topple Lady Liberty from her shining pinnacle of freedom atop the world.

Please allow me list what in my opinion are the two primary threats to our way of life:

1. Growing inequality between the rich and the working class fueling large-scale disillusionment with not only the effectiveness and integrity of our representatives in the federal government, but also with the reliability of our economic system. I don’t intend to debate that U.S. policy is set by the concerns of the wealthy. This is a fact that is beyond dispute. What is relevant is that people are slowly beginning to believe that they have been dealt a raw deal because of the schemes of the rich.

This problem can be avoided if the government enacts legislation enhancing the social welfare. Right now the most important thing Congress could do would be to expand the current federal program designed to help homeowners stay in their homes and also to pass a strong single-payer (I did not say public option) health care reform bill.

2. The decline of global hegemony resulting from the fallout from decades of U.S.-led imperialism around the world.

The U.S. is still the undisputed leader of the world, but our position is fast declining. As populations of people have combined around the world in reaction to U.S. dominance, they have slowly started winning battles. Hundreds of military bases and more arms production than the rest of the world combined is no longer enough to guarantee supremacy. The problem is that our show of force is what is turning world opinion against us. This is demonstrated by the alliance of anti-American in South American and the proposed expulsion of U.S. military bases in Japan.

In order to restore America to a position of global leadership, the country needs to take a radically different course — a course of peace through diplomatic leadership as opposed to the leadership of force. This means supporting global relations that focus chiefly on alleviating humanitarian crises even when that means coming at odds with our economic allies. A good starting point would be working to broker a realistic peace between Israel and Palestine that neither marginalizes the effects of Israeli occupation nor ignores the massive human loss resulting from Israeli military actions in Gaza. Cutting off the Israel from U.S. military funding would also go a long way toward this end and help stabilize U.S. relations with the Muslim world. It also means removing American forces from the Middle East and a cessation of military aid to dictatorships.

If these challenges are not met, the result will be increased unrest at home and less favorable alliances abroad.

Two weekends ago I participated in a march in Washington advocating for equal rights for Gays, Lesbians, Transgenders and Bisexuals. You may have seen us outside your place of business. It was a large crowd, some say more than 100,000 people. When I saw the parade, I thought, "there’s no way they can ignore this." But that is exactly what seems to have happened. Thousands of people who were sick and tired of abuse and discrimination took to the streets to demand their god-given right to the freedoms guaranteed to them in our Constitution and it seems that the government brushed them off.

I saw much the same thing this September in Pittsburgh when I participated in a march protesting the g20 summit. There were thousands of protesters and thousands of police to threaten them. I thought this can’t be ignored and indeed the media gave it some attention, but I don’t recollect a single representative of the government addressing the issues that were raised at this march.

In addition to these demonstrations, you have the demonstrations staged by the tea-party advocates. People who are tired of the government telling them how to run their lives, and siphoning their hard-earned money off to large banking firms.

How long will protesters and demonstrators be satisfied with waving signs while their elected representatives ignore their pleas? Is it not foreseeable that these groups will turn violent if concessions are not made to them? Is that not what our country did after appeals to George III proved unfruitful?

As a member of the armed forces I have sworn to protect this country from all enemies foreign and domestic, but if I’m called upon to defend America from advocates for peace, justice or reform. I know I could not comply.

Sir, please help your fellow senators work with public demands, so that I will not one day be faced with this regrettable situation.

In your role on the Armed Services Committee couldn’t you encourage the other committee members to work toward peaceful instead of violent solutions to America’s foreign relations problems? I would not appreciate if my country called upon me to defend our nation from enemies who were simple trying to overthrow an armed force keeping them in subjugation.

Sir, I know that we do not see eye to eye on these issues. I am far more radically minded that the majority of Americans. But, as your constituent, I feel that it is your duty to take my interests into consideration nonetheless. That is why I write you. So, that you may know what is important to me, and there by better represent the population of Georgians for whom you were elected to act.

With respect and sincerity,
Jared Hall

Response from Saxby Chambliss, Oct. 27:

 

Dear Seaman Hall:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the recent escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  I appreciate hearing from you.

           I have joined several of my colleagues in signing a letter to the President urging him to encourage greater involvement and participation by the Arab states both in moving forward towards more normal ties with Israel and promoting moderate Palestinian elements.

The United States supports Israel and any nation that is responding to attacks in self defense on its country and citizens.  I do hope that this conflict and cycle of violence will soon come to a peaceful conclusion and all parties will continue to negotiate a lasting peace agreement.  The resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is important not only to the peace and security of the Middle East, but also to the rest of the world. 

If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my web site at: www.chambliss.senate.gov. Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.

Clearly, Democracy is a sham!

---