Has our government become an oligarchy, or as author Barbara Kingsolver puts it, a petroligarchy? It seems that way. Why do you suppose President Bush and Vice President Cheney are pushing for war with Iraq? Is it really because Iraq may have weapons of mass destruction, or is it because of America’s, and particularly the oil industry’s, need to control oil supplies so as to feed our ever- wasteful culture of consumerism?

Pay attention to what happens to those among our congressmen and women who dare to oppose the push for war by asking for reasoned debate. They, in turn, are opposed by those who are quick to suggest a lack of patriotism when, in fact, asking the hard questions is the manifestation of our deepest democratic traditions.

To oppose the attempt at squelching our right to learn as much as we can from our government about its foreign policy and all the reasons for advocating war is our duty. We need to do more than wave our flags to be proud Americans, we need to participate in the decisions that will affect our lives, the lives of our children and the generations to come.

John G. Pincince

Linconlville