George,

I have learned, much to my disappointment,but not to my surprise, that General Wesley Clark supports a flag burning amendment to our Constitution. Perhaps, I have read his remarks uncritically, but it certainly appears, at first blush, to be his feelings.

Once before, I wrote about my feelings regarding the frauds abroad in our land masquerading as "patriots". When I was a student at Michigan State University, I rented my digs from a gentleman by the name of Gustav Gilbert, he was one of the Allies' psychologists at the Nuremberg Trials in 1946, he wrote a book in 1947 called the "Nuremberg Diary". He spent many hours with NAZI, Hermann Goering who was second only to Adolph Hitler in the Third Reich's hierarchy. Below, I have copied and printed a snippet of a conversation, Dr.Gilbert had with Reichsmarshal Goering, I think it is instructive:

"We got around to the subject of war again and I said that, contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction."

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

Scoundrels all, in Germany and no, among many in this farce we are compelled to call, "The Administration".

I envision a conversation of two future cellmates,"Why are you here?"."I was arrested and convicted of illegally burning an American flag." "And you?" ......"I was convicted of libel, I called Ken Lay a cheap crook." "John Ashcroft filed a "friend of the court" brief against me."

Harry Tenney (electronic mail, November 13, 2003)