Retrograde forces
Thank you for Chris Behnke's comments in the Empire (Nov. 10). He is clearly passionate about our country and region. It is obvious that his views run counter to the prevailing "if you ain't fer it, you're a traitor" attitude in today's USA.
I don't know Mr. Behnke so I did some checking. Evidently, he is a young man very involved in the issues of the day. America needs the interest and involvement of young people to keep the spark of freedom burning brightly. I may not agree with everything Chris says, but I applaud his courage and willingness to speak out against dogmatic popular views.
Predictably there's a letter in the Nov. 11 Empire pillorying Behnke's audacity to have an opinion. Mr. Art Chance took Behnke smarmily to task for daring to speak out against a possible economic war of aggression. Art also seemed overly fascinated with Behnke's "precious little pink behind," so perhaps I am missing something.
I don't know Art so I did a little checking on him, too. In my opinion, he has gone against the interests of Alaska's state employees in his labor relations position with the state. I also note his fascination with war, particularly the Civil War from the "Southern" viewpoint against the Yankees and with his forbears in the Georgia Militia.
Perhaps Mr. Chance never had the opportunity to be a military pawn of the establishment. However, his venerated forebears did, as I did as a U.S. Marine in the '60s - only it took me a couple decades afterward to realize that. As a result, I am very reluctant to ship our young people off for the same purposes today. I am appalled at the readiness of people like Mr. Chance, and today's Republican establishment, to squander American youth the same way. The forces of retrograde and regression are always at work to turn back the clock. So long as we have brave people willing to speak out perhaps that won't happen. Thank you, Chris Behnke.
Erik Lie-Nielsen
Juneau