Dear America:

The 2004 Presidential election is over, and a majority of you has chosen George Bush.

In an era of sound bytes, spin, and dog-wagging – and with the lies and unchecked statistics of today’s political campaigns – it is all too easy to conclude that you were deceived. But I believe the reality is far worse. You cast a vote yesterday for a peace-of-mind no one can honestly deliver to you and decisively condemned secular liberalism by embracing fundamentalist “moral values.” In so doing you have repudiated our Founders’ vision of America and our children’s’ futures.

This country, which now seems defined by SUV’s and cocooning in dens with 90-inch entertainment systems, now finds itself increasingly unemployed or underemployed, with a downsized space program that can’t even keep its budget Martian rovers running. Our social nets have failed. Almost half of Americans have no health insurance, a matching figure has no life insurance, and the Social Security system is in danger of being looted or privatized. Your answer to all of this is to build a new heavily-armed Roman Empire. And you thank your Evangelical gods that you have no responsibilities toward that other half of this nation.

Now, when those Chinese-manufactured entertainment systems of yours have a glitch, you phone in for support and reach a customer service person in Bangalore. Meanwhile, our schools are in crisis and privatization and “standards” have replaced any real funding. As long as you have a slogan like “No Child Left Behind,” you can safely ignore the reality. Much of the world is angry at America for its belligerence, self-interest, and meddling. You see the loss of our former educational, technological, and economic greatness as equivalent to the terrorist’s taunt, so little do you care for distinctions. More telling, your half cares little for what the rest of the world thinks. We own all the nukes and your half is developing increasingly itchy trigger fingers.

For many Americans, the future is a dark and uncertain place and national fears are tangible and multiply with every presidential speech or Homeland Security alert. You want mommy to make it better and you’ll believe anyone who promises that force equals security. Despite your seeming lack of interest in taking rational steps to ensure economic, energy and political success in the future, you cling to irrational views that you can buy or build this physical security. Even dogcatchers in this last election ran on platforms of “Keeping America Safe.” Soon it will be the mandate of house painters.

This new aversion to risk and uncertainty (except for your total disregard of the economy, foreign policy, education, technology, social security and medical care) has led to a country with zero-tolerance for dissent or unrest. Let’s forget for one moment that you have cheered while the Patriot Act has shredded our Constitution. Your expectations of security have led you to even worse excesses. Recently, the Boston Police shot a Red Sox fan to death in a massive show of force to protect – what? – the streets from a few drunken celebrants. Similarly, a University of Massachusetts student was burned severely by flash grenades deployed by the State Police breaking up similar Red Sox hooliganism. Your patriotic Homeland has now become one that now values its security – whatever that is – more than its children. So much for your moral values.

So, to all of you who have bought the fear and the false promises of security: you were not duped, but succumbed to your weaker nature, like victims of get-rich-quick schemes. You were motivated by ignorance and a lack of perspective of what is truly important in a society and in our national history. Led by your “moral values” to reject freedoms for gays, immigrants and dissenters. Led by your own self-absorption to deny the economic, medical and energy security we actually do have some control over. Led by blind animal fear and the false promise of security you will find is a mirage. You have chosen a leader as weak and as bereft of compassion and vision as you.

So, to you, the other half: you deserve the next four years of George Bush.

Your children do not.