I EXPECT THE WORST, AND MOLLY NEVER DISAPPOINTS ME

Molly Ivins never disappoints me; her unrelenting crusade against the Bush
family continues unabated. To her credit, she clearly understands that
President Bush, as president, has the unpleasant duty of leading us into a
prolonged war unlike any we have ever fought. The uniqueness of this
conflict, to defeat the Taliban, bring bin Laden to justice, and eliminate
or neutralize an armada of abstruse, fanatically suicidal terrorists is a
daunting endeavor requiring intelligence, patience, sacrifice and courage.

Ms. Ivins cunningly ridicules her favorite target, Mr. Bush, through his
attorney general. She insinuates, without medical knowledge or evidence,
that John Ashcroft is becoming mentally ill because he, along with the
whole nation, is wrestling with the conundrum of terrorist attacks without
any historical precedence for guidance. She pillories him for upholding and
enforcing the law in Oregon and California. Isn't that what an attorney
general is supposed to do?

She cites the PATRIOT bill as if Ashcroft, acting alone, passed that
horrible act. Molly, the Senate, controlled by your Democratic heroes,
passed that heinous legislation.

Ms. Ivins shows contempt for a prayerful salutation in her introductory
paragraph, saying inappropriately, "God Bless America, too," and then has
the effrontery to imply that Baptists' faith should be considered the same
as the beliefs of the murderous, fanatical Taliban fundamentalists.

Christian Fundamentalists do believe that Christ is the only way to God the
Father, but their belief does not spawn sins of mass indiscriminate murder
and destruction.

Am I worried about Mr. Ashcroft's schemes? Yes, I am. We do
constitutionally dangerous things during wars, but I have an undying faith
in our democratic system. Ashcroft's actions will be repudiated if they are
illegal. Ms. Ivins, a fear-mongering, fact-spinning, historically
inaccurate word-merchant, evidently doesn't share my outlook for this great
country of ours.

EDWARD C. KRECKER

Biloxi