Joe Billionaire

Dear Reader,

     We perch on the brink of shakey times in these United States on this Earth. Only with information and understanding will we be able to stave off our own annihilation. War with Iraq will happen, North Korea might too. So it goes.

      Most people in the world, by sheer direct democracy, don't like Americans right now. "Why?" you may ask may honorably ask. In a word, they hate us for our hubris.

Hubris (n.) - Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance. [From the Greek word "hybris" (which means -- you guessed it --) excessive pride or (interestingly) wanton violence] -American Heritage Dict. (w/ my annotations in ‘( )’ )

      Now that we have a working definition I want to use this term with explanations; I want to use the words "hubris" and "American" in the same sentence without offending you.

Everybody with me so far?

      America is by far the world's cutting edge of wealth, culture, and military might and we have been since the end of the WW2. We are only 288,368,698 million people according to the US Census Bureau. In contrast, the world population was estimated to be 6,296,484,800 people at the time of this writing (9:36 AM 3/17/03) as calculated by Princeton professor Nicolás Rodríguez and colleague (I invite you to see for yourself the current numbers at http://opr.princeton.edu/popclock). Folks, we are a minority. No wonder the world grumbles about our Lexus SUV's and our gluttony (I work in the catering industry). That alone has festered seething hatred in some corners of the world, but when you toss in our recent economic imperialism and (yes) aggression it's not hard to see why we might be alone in several endeavors (wars, mostly). The 6,008,116,102 billion people of this world are gonna get pissed. I propose that it's in our national best interest not to engage our military with ANYBODY just now. Especially Iraq, now, when there is an open war against us (NOT perpetrated by Saddam Hussein).

            We are a lucky, industrious, and fruitful nation just brimming with good intentions. That is why I can longer be silent about the rising social, legal, and political tide that’s washing over America and Virginia Tech. And I won’t. I hereby propose; I hereby challenge the Collegiate Times with it’s intelligent, talented staff to hold a public forum on the Patriot Act, the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, and the Virginia Tech Board of Visitor’s recent edict limiting free speech.

Penslingers! Lend me your eyes and let us unite to stamp out the terrorism of hubris in these United States of America. [There, I did it ;^) ]

Regards,

Brian Poe