I sit here at my computer on a Monday evening with feelings of sadness and rage. The Republican convention has begun. I shudder when I think of what we might have to face. My fear is not for terrorist attacks, but for the destruction of our country from within. I am not referring to an overthrow of the government. I am referring to a takeover by those who are now in power.

I am filled with rage at what has happened in our beloved country in the past three and one-half years. We have gone to war on absolute lies. We have been driven into our bunkers by the preaching of hate and fear from the president and all his cohorts. We have had our civil liberties taken from us. We have been intimidated by pre-emptive attacks on protest. Almost 1,000 of our young people have died and thousands have been permanently maimed so that the president and his cronies can make off with billions in profits and so that right-wing extremists can have their Armageddon.

I find the latter reason the most damning. I am a follower of Jesus who believes in what Jesus taught. He said, "Love your enemies" and "Do good to them that hate you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you for my sake." God is not a god of violence. He is a god of love. "Shock and Awe," "Abu Ghraib," and all the other terrible things that are being done to human beings in the name of God are wrong. I cannot control the terrible actions of those who would kill Americans, but I can do something about the terrible actions of those who represent me. I can do everything in my power to see that they do not get re-elected.

A wonderful protest march was held yesterday on the streets of New York. Oh, how I would have loved to participate. Physical limitations make it impossible for me to walk any kind of distance. However, I sat in front of that TV set and gloried in every minute of that march. Brothers and sisters, it is time that we who love peace rise up and let our voices be heard. We cannot be timid in times such as this. We must speak out.

Someone wrote to me and remarked that they don't understand how a Christian can support "moveon.org." I am a member of moveon.org. I subscribe to the newsletter from Sojourner. I send donations to truthout.com. I have sent contributions to the Kerry campaign and to the Democratic Party. I am seventy-one years old, and have never contributed to a political party before this election. This is too important for me to sit idly by. I must participate in the effort to rid our country of the Neocons and their puppet, George W. Bush. This must not be done in any violent way. That is not the Jesus way. This must be done peacefully by the power of the ballot. Speak out my friends, before it is too late.

- The Old Professor