Letters to the President

[mrph]

Some more interesting stuff from the Guardian.

While we have your attention, Mr President...
Sixty letters to George W Bush
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1087591,00.html

(the link is to page 1 of 4)

The more memorable letters here include ones from Aaron Barschak ("George, as one interventionist clown to another, it's not your material, it's your delivery"), Lofti Raissi, Benjamin Zephaniah, Michael Portillo - and a spikily accurate one from Salam Pax. They're not all anti-GWB, although it's fair to say that the positive ones are rather outnumbered.

Finally, an excerpt from Ronan Bennett's letter - which puts one point across very clearly:

Look about you when you land. You will see people in their tens of thousands protesting against your visit. Do not say we are "lucky" to live in a country that permits free speech and free assembly. Do not insult us like that. Those rights were hard won.

Comments

[markeris.livejournal.com]

read those on the bus this morning, and singled out pretty much the same examplars (went straight to the Ben Zapaniah one, partly because I still can`t get over the (admittedly superficial)incongruity of him being a massive Arkam Asylum fan)

Whilst we`re talking about highly articulate rasta types, I repeat my recommendation of several months ago to track down "Mr President Man" by the Wild Bunch (the Mad Professor lot, rather than the other ones who more or less went on to be Massive Attack)

"Oh Mr. President Man
Why do you want to fight the war?
Do you know what you`re fighting for?
You just keep wanting more and more
We all know that you have the strength
To bring the whole world to an end
But I just cannot see the sense
Mr President Man"

Near enough 20 years old now, but so so poignant!