John Mellencamp: Recall Bush

Rock musician John Mellencamp and his wife have written an open letter criticizing U.S. foreign policy and calling for the recall of President George W. Bush.

Blasting the powers that be for demonizing as “anti-American and unpatriotic” those who speak out against military action in Iraq, Mellencamp says the nation’s citizens were “systematically lied to and manipulated into backing the political ‘hijacking’ of Iraq.”

“Now, each day, as the dust settles and the truth slowly surfaces, more and more people come to the inevitable conclusion of what a debacle this whole war was,” Mellencamp wrote with his wife, Elaine, Yahoo’s Launch news service reports.

The singer wonders why Bush can’t simply be removed from office.

“The governor of California was removed from office based on finance troubles. And yet George W. Bush has lied to us, failed to keep our own borders secure, entered a war under false pretense, endangered lives, and created financial chaos,” he wrote. “How is it that he hasn’t been recalled? Perhaps this time we could even have a real election … but that wouldn’t fit the Bush administration’s ‘take what you want and fire people later’ policy. Take an election; take an oil field; take advantage of your own people – a game of political Three-Card Monte.”

Mellencamp also questions the flag-waving patriotism of fellow Americans:

“Who is to say what is or isn’t ‘patriotic’? Do the flags that wave from every minivan really offer any support? Where is the support for the thousands of servicemen and women who return to the states to see their benefits cut, their health problems ignored, their jobs gone and their families living in poverty? How are they repaid for their efforts, for risking or losing their lives? So far, dismally.”

Ending his letter with a call to action, Mellencamp urges the citizenry to get involved in the political process.

“It is time to take back our country,” he concludes. “Take it back from political agendas, corporate greed, and overall manipulation. It is time to take action here in our land, in our own schools, neighborhoods, farms and businesses. We have been lied to and terrorized by our own government, and it is time to take action. Now is the time to come together.”