I have never written a letter to the editor before, but after thinking long and hard about your editorial in the Oct. 16, 2012, edition of the Tribune I felt a response was required.

In you editorial concerning the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three others you make the statement that “America is afraid of almost everything.” I am quite certain that this was a revelation to most of you subscribers. Since when has America been so afraid?

Secondly, your assertion that Congress should have nothing to do with this matter is ridiculous. The U.S. is not a kingdom but rather a democracy. That is why we have three branches of government for checks and balances for proper democratic governance. There certainly needs to be a determination, for example, why there was more security for our ambassador in France than for our ambassador in a much more dangerous Libya. This is true especially since these poor souls had been begging for more security for months. Very possibly there is not a need for more total security for our ambassador in France than for our ambassador in Libya. Very possibly there is not a need for more total security but rather a better distribution based upon requirements. Sweeping the problem under a rug is not the answer since it is very difficult to solve a problem until you know what the problem is.

Thirdly, it was very callous of you to summarily write off the victims of the disaster by saying that such things are just inevitable and we are evidentially to expect our embassy personnel to be murdered from time to time as long as they serve in “hostile” places. Would you feel the same had the victims been members of your family?

To sum up the whole matter, your editorial left the following impressions.

1. You folks are obviously very partisan (our country desperately needs its citizenry to be more patriotic and less partisan).

2. Your insensitivity toward the victims was quite shameful.

3. Your command of knowledge concerning the facts available in regards to this tragic disaster was sadly lacking.

4. You attempted to make it into a political football. Let’s all try to be a part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

 

Dave Horning

Glenville