Dear Mr President...a foreign perspective

A few weeks ago, my junior English majors studied the film Across the Universe. I choose this film because it highlights a foreigner looking into the heart of America and its people in war time. As a response to the film, my students each wrote a letter to President Bush expressing their view of war. Their letters were incredible! When I return to the states in a few weeks, I'll be mailing them to the White House. They are all anxiously hoping for a response. The following is a letter compiled from highlights of a few of their letters. I thought you might enjoy their perspective.

Dear Distinguished Mr. President George W. Bush,

I am very honored to write to you. I am a Chinese student from Hubei Automotive Technology University. You have never heard of ir? Well, that'a all right. Actually, this letter is an assignment our teacher gave to us. I'm not sure whether you will read it or not. Anyway, I would like to tell you something I'm thinking, maybe you have guessed what I am thinking about: Wars. Yes, that's the point! (Abby)

Every time, when I read about that we two national leaders visit each other and exchange their ideas on bilateral political and economic relationship, I always feel excited and cheerful to me, as well as my fellow citizens: maintaining peace and becoming intimate friends is really our ideal dream! As we know, the US is the greatest, most developed power in the world. China is a thriving and unified country with 5,000 years history. why can't we speak out our sincere feelings and coexist friendly? (Jasmine)

Could I ask you a question? Do you like your family? The answer could be undoubtedly for a normal person. Although you are President, I believe that human nature takes the same effect on every body. If you love your own family, you would love the people in your country because they are also your family. Is that reasonable? It is well known that the deeper you love someone, the more action you will take to protect them from danger. However, Mr President, in my eyes what you did is to send them to the battlefield...you didn't consider the feeling of your family members...distressed mothers, crying children and solitary wives. (Isabella)

We all know that wars bring death and despair. As a leader, you may say that what you did is for the benefit of your country. But what is the government's first obligation? It is to give his people a peaceful and happy environment to improve their lives. But people don't need wars. People hate invasions. Violence are not involved in a civilized society. It disobeys the will of the people. Wars are not for freedom but for a desire to defeat others who are not obedient to you and to get your own benefits. Not all wars are wrong, some are meaningful only if they represent the will of the people. What a government does must be strictly the will of his people. (Ann)

Undoubtedly, some wars are justice, take World War II as an example, what kind of role my country and your country played was justice, we successfully defended the human rights but at the same time the war cost us a lot, took something unimaginably serious away. Your country is strong in military, and your Honor has strong power too. Your government's strategy would decide the pattern of military affairs, and your actions could change the pattern of the world. (Destiny)

I don't know why you put war in motion so easily. Yet, I heard that you do it just in order to stimulate the economy. That reason really hit me greatly. But I know the only reason is in your heart, Mr President. I don't want to guess what it is. But Mr President, have you ever thought if it is worth? What is like to benefit? Nowadays, America is the only real superpower in the world. Does it mean that America has endless power to invade another country? Or does it mean that America has the biggest duty to safeguard the peace of the world? And that, Mr President, all depended on you. (Dove)

War is a controversial issue. It's sure that war gives rise to both benefit and damage. However, according to the past wars, benefit is just temporary while damage is eternal. Pain always accompanies war. Physical suffering may make a disabled man, which may destroy dreams, but what about mental damage? Soldiers always wake up with a start because of the horrible memory of war they have experienced. The nightmare may go with them all their lives. It's more painful than physical suffering. (Trinity)

I believe all the young men around the world have dreams and all dream for our dreams to come true. But we should know that the most important factor that we need is the peaceful environment. We can imagine that just when a young men is ambitiously striving for his dream, the ware breaks out. Then he has to give up what he is doing and join the army. Have you ever imagined what is the effect he will get from the war? Maybe his dream will be simply a fair forever, I don't think its fair for him. I wonder where his human right is. (Wind)

Michael Jackson has a song, Heal the World: Heal the world, Make it a better place, For you and me, And the entire human race. Every time I hear this song, I feel hurt in my heart. We don't want to see the children crying helplessly. there's a place in your heart and I know that it is love. I hope you will listen to the song Heal the World when you get free. Thank you for your time, God Bless America! (Riley)

Yours Sincerely,
A Foreign Perspective