First, the Stingray; Then the Conversion and Now This!!

What does Luci Baines Johnson have in common with splintering Democrats of today?


Well, I must explain. At the time of the LBJ administration, the biggest personal social problem that Johnson had was the fact that his youngest daughter, Luci, had been through a great deal. The above title is what was said in public and private circles about the flashy car Luci drove, her conversion to Catholicism and her hasty marriage to Patrick Nugent. And this also explains why I always win at Trivial Pursuit because I am the keeper of information that no one else remembers. I digress, but how does this fit in?

This list of events is much like what Democrats are using to waffle on the War in Iraq. First, Iraq was a bad idea because it wasn't directly related to Osama. They were wrong about that. Then it was that we couldn't win, and that was decimated by the incredible road to Baghdad. After that, it was that tens of thousands of Americans will die and they were wrong about that. Now it's that we can't say this mission is a success because we won the battle, we have to "win the peace."

The angle now is that the post war was poorly planned. I agree that there are things that were not as we expected. But I guarantee you that all scenarios were planned and this is war, it is not a video game. These are people and sometimes you have to change you plans. That is not failure.

The Ayatollah Khomeini's grandson said of Iraq this week that the people are free and happy and that Americans should liberate Iran next. Why don't we hear that story in more places? Freedom is not America's gift to the world; it is God's gift to humanity. George Bush was right about that and he is doing something about it in the post 9/11 world.

Liberals, learn to be Americans. I am sure that Republicans made the same sort of comments about Roosevelt during WWII and if they did, they were just as wrong. The difference is that the words spoken in protest in 1943 have a much smaller audience than those spoken in 2003. It does not mean, don't speak them, but it does mean understand the responsibility that comes with the freedom of speech that we have.

The role of dissent is important and should not be squelched. The role of personal distruction must be stopped. Learn to say, how can I help my country.

Martha Zoller is the host of The Martha Zoller Show on WDUN Newstalk 550 in Gainesville, Georgia. You can also hear it live on the web by logging onto marthazoller.com. Please email Martha with your comments at [email protected].