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Hero or Traitor?

ETS!,

While the media is portraying former president Gerald Ford as a hero, there is a large segment of us out here who don't remember him that way at all. He betrayed the American people on at least two occasions that we know of, and maybe even more that we still don't know about.

The first betrayal was when he pardoned ousted president Richard M. Nixon. If it had happened to any of the rest of us we would have been serving the rest of our lives behind bars. It would seem that the president, the leader of the land should be held to at least as high a standard as its citizens. But neither of these men took responsibility for their actions. Maybe if Nixon had to spend the rest of his life behind bars, George Bush would have thought twice about tapping our telephones or getting us into another illegal war. But since none of them have ever been held accountable, the abuses are still going on unabated.

The second betrayal by Ford was being against the Iraq war and then hiding that fact from the American people in a secret agreement with Bob Woodward. Maybe if Ford had made his opinions known to this administration sooner, we would not be in the mess we now find ourselves in.

No. I don't see this man as a hero. I see him as a man who once again betrayed the American people by protecting his friends in the Republican party instead of putting the American people's interests first. Moral courage? Hardly.

I was always taught that respect had to be earned. From Richard Nixon to Gerald Ford to George W. Bush... none are worthy of one bit of my respect. When any of these so called "leaders" decide to tell the truth and stand up for honesty and integrity and the interests of the American people, then I will respect them. Until then, they are not worthy of this great country that I love.

--Rob Moitoza, via e-mail

G.P. adds: You forgot East Timor.