To the Editor:
Unlike Scott St. Clair of Kirkland, who takes exception [see April Courier] to Sen. Eric Oemig's Senate resolution that requests an impeachment investigation of the president and vice president, I am not the father of a Marine. However - unlike Mr. St. Clair - I am a Marine and, given his apparent closeness to the U.S. military, find his suggestion that Sen. Oemig's efforts at forwarding an impeachment request to Congress as being tantamount to giving aid and comfort to our enemies and somehow equal to providing them with the explosives to kill our troops to be the height of demagoguery and completely irresponsible. Frankly, I'm shocked that the Courier would even print such a letter.
To say that a legal and wholly constitutionally-protected act such as a Senate resolution to ask for an impeachment investigation as provided for under Jefferson's Manual of Parliamentary Practice for Congress as being "yellow-stained" (as Mr. St. Clair does) demonstrates that Mr. St. Clair virtually has no command of either the facts or his emotions in this matter. Instead, he has elected to use the tactic of the cheap ad hominem attack in order to impugn Sen. Oemig as a coward and to score cheap political points rather than putting forth the sort of reasoned and productive argument that one would hope adults would engage in.
And it is a tactic, I might add, that only serves to diminish Mr. St. Clair's strong standing as a voice to be listened to, as he is the father of two members of the active duty military who serve in the defense of our Constitution.
One may agree or disagree with the policies of this president or the political beliefs of Sen. Oemig. But to somehow equate the Senator's official actions on behalf of his constituents - a job that we gave him in the hopes that he would do it to the best of his ability and in accordance with his conscience - with aiding and abetting the insurgents in Iraq, is really beyond the pale.
I would suggest to Mr. St. Clair: If you truly believe what you say in your letter, rather than impugn an honorable man who is trying to do his duty as his conscience determines by ridiculously accusing him of treason, you should put up or shut up.
Either stand for election against the Senator when the time comes, or initiate a recall provision as provided for under our state constitution. Yes, Mr. St. Clair, had you bothered to educate yourself on the subject before launching your diatribe, you would know that we actually can do that here.
I truly hope that given the prominence that the Kirkland Courier gave Mr. St. Clair's letter, this represents neither the type of thinking that is pervasive either to the Courier editorial board or the town of Kirkland. That would indicate a sad state of affairs in our community indeed, for it would demonstrate that we are not the enlightened grownups that we like to think we are.
C. Scott Smith
Kirkland
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