12/25/03 - There is no forum scheduled this Thursday due to the holiday. Next Thursday is New Year's Day and we will meet if enough people can attend. Please send me an e-mail if you can make it that day.

Here a special version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" I wrote that I hope some of you will enjoy:

'Twas The Season For Reason
by David Martin (dimossi@yahoo.com)

'Twas many days before Christmas, when all through Iraq
Many insurgents were bombing, US targets they did attack.
The US military was patrolling with care,
In hopes they might catch Saddam in his lair.

Meanwhile, George Bush was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of the next election danced in his head:
Bush in his flight suit, and the economy booming,
'Misson Accomplished' in Iraq, terror no longer looming.
Then Bush awoke from his political wet dream,
Realized abortion was still legal and let out a scream.

Bush called Rumsfeld hoping to be put at ease;
Upon answering, Bush asked if we had found WMDs;
None had been found so Bush went back to sleep,
Nightmarish dreams upon Bush did creep:
Choking on pretzels; mispronouncing words;
Hated by the Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds;
Bashed for an unjust war in Democratic debates;
Losing support in many key southern states.

Bush cringed in his sleep thinking what this meant,
He might be like his dad, a one-term president.
Edwards, Lieberman, Dean, Gephardt,
Kucinich, Kerry, Sharpton, or Clark.
Every candidate had a chance to see Bush gone,
He could even lose to Carol Moseley Braun.

Back in Iraq the cost of the war climbs,
The search goes on for the source of terror crimes.
The stakes are high as Iraq we try to rebuild,
The body count rises as more soldiers are killed.
Suicide bombers and roadside attacks, for starts;
There are even missiles launched from donkey carts.
Iraqis are afraid to let their children outside,
They feel the US promised them safety but must have lied.

Bin Laden, Saddam, and other tyrants still at large,
Hatred against the US intensifying with Bush in charge.
The bad news continues with no end in sight,
But something to celebrate may come this night.

Operation "Red Dawn" had many troops out on patrol,
Searching a farmhouse they found a spider hole.
In the hole was Saddam living like a rat,
He gave himself up without any combat.
It was a surprise he had hid in a small enclosure;
The troops hoped this capture would bring Iraqis closure.
Saddam was dirty, bearded and disheveled,
Like an evil Santa that was bedeviled.
The news hit the airwaves like a battering ram,
TVs showed video of Saddam's medical exam.

Bush rejoiced at the news and pondered what's next,
He prayed as usual over his religious text.
He prayed and prayed, but not for Saddam's salvation,
He prayed for linguistic help when addressing the nation.

Bush may have received his present early this year,
As well as many Iraqis who have one less thing to fear.
But danger sill lingers and questions still remain;
Can a democratic Iraq be something we can attain?
What will become of Saddam who was oh so vile?
How many crimes will he face at a trial?
Will our past funding and arming of Saddam be known?
Will justified reasons for the war ever be shown?

Questions will continue and answers should be sought
Using critical inquiry and freedom of thought.
Finding out the truth should be our intent,
Even if it means politically incorrect dissent.
Hope for peace, tolerance and the use of reason,
While you are with family & friends this holiday season.

Quote of the week: "Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice." [Unknown]

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