George Washington, in an attempt to advance mankind forward in the cause of happiness, in 1783 took the chance on standing down the Revolutionary War Army. He felt it critically important at that moment, in order to provide the new nation the space it needed to gain a foothold in history on an entirely new, "counter cultural" approach in the exercise of power, lest that self felt by divine right, pure royal you know where in contempt of all type might come up of its old self, again, with an all smothering army.

In his farewell address in September, 1796, Washington warned: "Overgrown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty."

Dialogue and compromise, fostered by checks and balance on power was to be the wellspring of liberty from which man's spirit would flourish.

But, today, to watch how President George W. Bush wields brute military power around, it certainly makes George Washington's words some 216 years later, troublingly pertinent doesn't it?

Certainly it shouldn't have been Ronald Reagan on the front cover, recently, of Time magazine with a tear in his eye but George Washington, himself.

To think it was in that very same farewell address Washington warned against foreign entanglements.

Certainly, today, if Washington's spirit was still at the helm, there's no way a rationalization as warping to our liberty and dignity as preemptive war would ever have been embraced; never would we have been led into Iraq on a lie or on some misbegotten messianic quest.

James Madison, the framer of the Constitution and fourth president, once reflected: "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."

Watching this administration, play on our fear, attempt to transform ourselves to tolerate our armed services become a 21st century version of the French Foreign Legion or some imperial army of such sort, the voices of Madison and Washington, if we consider them anymore kindred spirits, should really be haunting us.

Are we being or have we already been: snookered of our soul?

Anyway, Maka, thank you, in the good old spirit of things, for blowing your horn with the vibrant tones you do. I really enjoy your letters. You, in no way, are the one who needs to be moving. Nope. As a flaming patriot, thank you, again, for standing your ground, for always putting substance before form; but, remember, there's always the same age old same who'd, figuratively speaking, gladly offer you a cup of hemlock for that.

So unafraid of being fed to the lions, you, in my book, far more than George Tenant, Maka, deserve the Medal of Freedom. Certainly I'm sure you're making George Washington proud and are going to go to heaven, too.

Tim O'Leary is a longtime Homer resident and observer of the political scene.