Editor,
I must say I really enjoyed the hypocrisy in Gerardo Saenz and Aaron X. Lenard's letters in Monday's Daily Lobo regarding Saddam Hussein's execution. Clearly, both are religious men, and I respect that. However, like many Christians, they quickly and easily contradict the very fundamentals of their personal savior's message by applauding the execution of Hussein.
It's amazing how that wacky "love thy enemy" and "thou shalt not kill" stuff is always the first to go out the window when people try to justify killing in the name of the government. But all killing is wrong. State-sponsored killing is still killing. I don't care how you want to look at it.
If these folks are so religious, why aren't they outraged at all the killing going on in their name right now all over the world? I know I am, and I'm not even religious. Thanks to public education and a compliant media, these poor guys have totally bought into the good vs. evil mentality that has engulfed this country, putting an end to rational and intelligent debate on foreign policy. Both men are obsessed with all those horrible enemies out there - enemies we created.
And since when did the majority of young people start believing and trusting the government? Clearly, these guys didn't have to live through Watergate or Vietnam.
I'd like to remind everyone that it is our duty to question our government - especially now. The U.S. is a tyrannical and terrorist nation. True, Hussein was a despot, but President Bush and Vice President Cheney are personally responsible for way more death and destruction than Hussein ever dreamed of. At least Hussein didn't profit financially from his crimes. By the logic of Saenz and Lenard, Bush and Cheney should be executed for crimes against humanity. Justice is a two-way street. I support that.
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Jason Darensburg
UNM student and staff
