30 March
2017
Rep. Dana
Rohrabacher,
101 Main
Street #380
Huntington
Beach, CA 92648
Dear
Congressman,
I saw a
picture of you with your young son online—a handsome lad; and, as I understand,
just one of your three children. A wonderful family, I’m sure. I myself have
three kids, now grown, with children of their own. Unfortunately, three of them
live in England: my oldest granddaughter, who just celebrated her 18th
birthday, and the grand-twins, now fifteen. Happily, my youngest lives close to
us here in Southern California—he happens to be sitting next to me as I write,
because his mom is off at an international conference in Berlin. (Great things,
these international events, in which America still participates!)
But I
write about these kids because, as a grandfather, I am concerned for their
future—as I am sure you are for your own children. What kind of a world do we
want to leave them? It seems to me reasonable to suppose that, given the
direction of the current Congress and administration, it will not be the kind
of world we would wish for ourselves or them. I myself would wish for a world
in which nations could work well together, and where poverty, hunger injustice
and warfare were no longer dominant. I’m sure you’d want the same.
As for
our country, would you not agree that we all want a livable environment? That
we want peoples of all races, creeds, orientations to have the opportunity for
a healthy and successful life? That educational doors be open to all who
qualify? That we want and need a thriving cultural community? That the
acquisition of money and possessions should not be the only goal we teach our
children? And so on. These are some of the basic requisites for a civilized society
on which we can surely all agree.
But these
seem to be dreams, only, for your Republican party, the president* and his
administration. The trickle-down theory of a free market economy has proved to
be a cruelly false promise to many over many years; the income gap keeps
growing, to the detriment of the underprivileged and the poor. The president’s
budget makes drastic cuts in all areas that might provide a leg-up and
assistance, when needed, for the disadvantaged and the elderly. It makes
drastic cuts in environmental action, as well as in diplomacy and foreign
aid—everything that have given us leadership in the world. So much for “making
America great again.” He is making America small again, in the eyes of the
entire world.
I write
these things to you because I know we share a love for our children and a
concern for their future. I write because I see their future dimming. Your
kids, Congressman, and mine, will grow up in security, wealth and privilege. No
question, they will enjoy excellent educational opportunities and access to
rewarding careers or professions when they reach majority. But I think you must
agree that many millions of American children will not have the same
opportunity, no matter how much we may like to pretend they do. And your (now
very right-wing) Republican policies and budgets are not working to assure they
do. This is no longer even the conservatism you embrace.
And then,
too, your children and mine will face a future that is not so secure, no matter
how much money we spend on the military and homeland security. Nature herself
is indifferent to such things. She is a much greater force than all American
might, and can wreak more havoc than any military. We are, literally, powerless
against her.
So,
Congressman, do we wish for our kids to grow up in a world we have polluted
with our action and inaction, a world we have failed to defend when science
told us, unambiguously, that it was at risk? An environment that threatens not
only other species, but our own?
We need
sane politicians and sane policies, and we need them now. It is no longer
acceptable simply to toe the party line. Your constituents entrusted you with
their lives, and the future of their kids and grandkids. It is not acceptable
for you to go along with the Republican herd when that herd is stampeding
heedlessly toward the cliff’s edge. We, your constituents, must rely on your
sound judgment, your ability to discern fact from fiction, truth from outright
lies, reason from fantasy. We must rely on you to be your own man, and ours, to
stand up and out from herd mentality with strength and clarity of vision. We
ask this of you. We demand it.
I trust
that your aides will allow you to see this letter, amongst the many you must
receive; and that you will read it with the seriousness and sincerity with
which it is intended.
Thank
you. As always, respectfully,
Peter
Clothier, Ph.D.