LEAVE IT TO PEEVER
The EMail Keeps Piling Up.
Dear Peever: Why are you interested in running for city alderman? Dan
Dear Dan: Im crazy enough to think I can do some good.
Dear Bruce: When is this book you keep talking about going to be finished? Sally
Dear Sally: It is done and the first copies being printed as I write. The title is, ThePeever. com, Blinded by the Right. Im expecting a Pulitzer Prize, but more likely will start a resurgence of book burnings. Either way, I would be pleased.
Dear Mr. Weik: I see you are involved in antiwar activities? I suppose thats par for the course, you being so liberal. Scott
Dear Scott: Ive never been much into war. Seems an awful waste of money and lives. The most confusing thing for me is I can never tell which side is the worst. I definitely dont think I would like to have dinner with Saddam Hussein, but then again, I dont think I would care to spend the evening with W. George. Bin Laden is not my cup of tea, but neither is John Ashcroft. One of the things Ive never had trouble with is hysterical patriotism. While there are many reasons to be grateful for living in this country, there are many things that could be improved. (One simple example is if you get the most votes in an election, you should win). Fighting for peace has historically been seen as unAmerican, as cowardism, and here lately, this administration sees you as "the enemy." Its always been a mystery to me why that is? My training in seminary led me to become a pacifist and advocate for nonviolence. I have not for one moment ever felt ashamed of that or that I was ever any less patriotic than a general in the army, or the President of the United States. I simply do not believe you can kill your way to peace. I sure hope thats not unAmerican.
Dear :Mr. Peever: Do you really believe rightwinged Christians are dangerous? Beth
Dear Beth: I believe when you blend religion with ideology, it can become lethal. I dont believe it is good for any living creature. That doesnt mean that I see any particular, or all rightwingers as dangerous, although any one particular rightwinged person could be dangerous, but I doubt all of them would be. In fact, I like most of the rightwinged folks I know. They give me strength and courage to carry on my peeving. Without them, Id have never found a title for my book.
Dear Peever: Every time I read something from you, I see "red." Harry
Dear Harry: Whats the matter with red? We have The Red Hat Club, which seems to be an pretty nice bunch of ladies. The Cincinnati Reds are sometimes real good, although I dont think Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. Kids like to play Red Rover, which I always thought was kind of a sissy game. The Big Red is a nice place to visit, but I wouldnt want to live there. The Red man has always seemed smarter than white Europeans, but he was outgunned. The Red Hot Chili Peppers is a pretty good band, but awful loud. Red has always been thought of fairly positively, being associated with power, aggressiveness, kind of the American way. If you are meaning Red like in Commie Red, grow up.
Dear Mr. Peever: I am worried that the world is coming to an end. What do you think? Mary
Dear Mary: Nothing to worry about. Youll be dead anyway. If you believe in heaven, no problem. Disney World for eternity. As far as evolutionary time is concerned, our demise would hardly cause a blink. Some day, be it 50 million or 500 million years from now, the spark of life might strike again. Im here to say that at a very minimum, that would be at least Gods second mistake.
Dear Mr. Bruce: Why do so many people use drugs? Andy
Dear Andy: I suppose there are a lot of different reasons. The most overwhelming seems to be that they want to feel different than they do. You always wonder, different from what? Depression, loneliness, boredom, anxiety, craziness? We often dont like how we feel. It somehow isnt right, or good enough. We hope drugs will take us somewhere else, somewhere better. But the trip is never, over the long run, a good one. No one has ever, in the 20 years I have been a drug counselor, come back to me and said, "Bruce, you were wrong. My life has been better using drugs." It dont happen that way. Thats not how this works. So if you do, dont. And if you dont. Good.