Letter to the Editor: U.S. has supported dictatorships in past

Dear Editor,

  I was amazed when listening to Nobel Peace Prize Winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel he explained how college students in the US broke in tears when they learned how in the 70s the U.S. government was involved in the atrocities of the military dictatorships that ruled South America at that time. Apparently they truly believed that USA stands for all that is good.

  In reality, over the last century, U.S. troops invaded countries in Central America and the Caribbean 16 times at least not exactly to promote “freedom and democracy” but to replace democratic governments with dictatorships, back entrepreneurial expansion, etc. In non military terms the U.S. has also promoted convenient economical reforms in Latin America that resulted disastrous. Both left long lasting impressions in the continent.

  The cold war propaganda said it best: “What’s good for America is good for the world.”

Despite the fact that Western democracies dealt with terrorism for decades, once the U.S. was hit the whole world has to be at war. The self proclaimed “leadership of the free world” however, gives the back to real global issues like global warming or the UN, EU and international community petition to shut down the torture center at Guantanamo. Those attitudes help to build a perception in the world towards U.S.

  By any means I pretend to say that torching embassies or burning flags is right but rather to point out that the anti-gringo feeling is real and its roots (at least in the part of the world I know) Mr. Blackwell would probably find too hard to comprehend. I am not Muslim and certainly not ashamed to be from the 3rd world so I won’t dignify his letter with an answer but rather make him suggestion. I recommend him to be as patriotic as it gets and join the army. I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities to die “defending” his country or at least to bash whoever boos team USA.

Enrique Rosero R.