Aphelion Editorial 069

Hello and welcome!

First off, I'd like to thank Robert Wynne for repairing the Java Chat Applet so that readers can once again visit the Aphelion chatroom. Both the link at the top of this page in the short-cut menu and the link in the Features section near the bottom of this page are now working.

Next, I'd like to thank all the people in uniform who are over in the Middle East doing their duty for their countries. Keep yourselves safe folks, and come home to your families. Not everyone agrees that the war in Iraq is a just one, but I'm sure that every one of Aphelion's readers across the world join me in the hope that it'll be over soon and all the troops will be able to return home safe and sound.

That said, there may be a few raised eyebrows among the readers as to where exactly I stand on this troublesome war issue. Especially among those readers who had formed the opinion that I was anti-war after reading last month's editorial. The answer is, yes and no. Yes; I'm against the abuse of power by a government-- any government --and at the same time, no; I'm not one of President Bush's ardent supporters at the moment. But neither of those has anything to do with my wish for all the troops to come home safe and sound, and soon. Those are totally separate issues. I want an end to terrorism, and end to the possible threat of another would-be-Hitler, while at the same time I want people all over the world to live in peace. Sadly, in this day and age-- as in all the ages before, one can't have peace without also being willing to defend it when someone else makes it necessary.

I hate war, I hate racial and religious prejudice, I hate ignorance and stupidity, I hate murderers, rapists, and thieves... And I honor those men and women who willingly put themselves at risk to defend my right to disagree with my government. Who defend my right to live where I choose, to love whom I choose, to make of myself what I choose, to read what I choose, to write what I choose, to worship as I choose, to travel where I choose, to wear, buy, sell, own, and be whatever I choose. The freedoms that I enjoy have been dearly bought over the years. Bought with the lives of those who have answered the call to arms whenever it came. Even if you disagree with the causes that have sent these brave souls out onto the battlefield, you must honor these men and women.

So even if you think that this war should never have been fought, honor those who have gone to fight it. Save your disgust for those who have made the fight necessary-- whosoever you deem that to be. Just as you should not confuse dissent with disloyalty, you should also not confuse patriots with warmongers. Those who fight and die are doing so to defend your rights to support and to protest.

So let's just hope that the war is over soon.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled fiction...

Thanks for your time.

Dan

THE END

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