Win Back Respect Letter


28 June 2004

We write this letter as a group of young Americans – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – who have been given the opportunity to live and study abroad. Our perspective and concerns are rooted in the experience of living abroad at a time when it is increasingly difficult to explain the policies of our government to people who have traditionally been our most steadfast allies. We wish to express our deeply felt concerns about the ways in which the Bush administration’s approach to foreign policy is affecting our nation’s standing around the world. George Bush promised a humble foreign policy; some of us took him at his word and supported him in 2000. The Bush administration’s approach has been anything but humble. The last three years have demonstrated a widening gulf between the tone of President Bush’s campaign promises and the tone of his administration.

During the past three years we have witnessed a dramatic change in attitudes toward the United States. After September 11, many of us experienced an enormous
outpouring of sympathy and support for the US in response to that tragedy. Less than three years later, our nation’s reputation in the world is at a historic low. After
September 11, our friends and allies stood firmly beside us; today, they are increasingly skeptical of our intentions and fearful about the consequences of our country's actions.  Here in the United Kingdom, we witnessed an unprecedented one million citizens gathering in London to protest the Bush adminstration’s policies.
Conversations with other students from around the world inevitably turn to criticisms of our government’s policies: a failure to listen to and work with other countries;
misrepresentations of intelligence; pursuing war before other alternatives have been exhausted; evading of the Geneva Conventions, and torture and violations of human rights. We can debate these criticisms but we nevertheless find it increasingly difficult to defend America against accusations that our country has misused its power. We witness daily how decisions that reinforce a perception of American arrogance are undermining rather than strengthening America’s security goals and the safety of our citizens at home and abroad.

The United States cannot address the challenges of terrorism or solve other global problems by itself. Our country was given an exceptional opportunity after September 11 to marshal the support of the world and strengthen international organizations, but instead the actions of the Bush administration have been divisive and polarizing. The damage is not irreparable, as there is still a great deal of admiration and respect for our nation. However, a fundamental change must be made to the way our nation is led if we hope to restore the United States’ global standing and make our nation and the world safer.

This letter is an initiative of Win Back Respect, a new independent political campaign committed to rebuilding damaged relationships between the United States and the rest of the world. For more information, visit www.winbackrespect.org. For media enquiries, please contact Matt Bennett (+ 1 202-361-6744, matt@bennettsc.com)

Signatories
Ari Alexander, PA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Mark Bradshaw, KS, London School of Economics, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Rachel Brule, NY, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Eric Budish, NY, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Tomás Carbonell, NC, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Megan Ceronsky, MN, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Albert Cho, AZ, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Gretchen Domek, MN, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Christopher Joshi Hansen, KS, University of Oxford, Rotary Scholarship 1999
Ulcca Joshi Hansen, NJ, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Lam Ho, MA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Anthony House, WA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Marianna Ofosu, DC, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Andrew Park, IL, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Andrew Ross, NC, University of Oxford
Keri Steffes, AR, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Overseas Trust 2003
Megan Steven, NY, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Shayna Strom, PA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
David Tannenbaum, NY, University of Oxford, Sachs Scholarship 2001
Eric Tucker, IA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Samidh Chakrabarti, OR, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Elizabeth Angell, WA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Mark Purdon, NJ, University of Oxford
Anna K. Weiss, NY, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship
Brian Namey, PA, University of Oxford, Rotary Scholarship 2003
Katherine Dirks, LA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Jason Wasfy, VA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Mark Peter, CT, University of Oxford, Martin Scholarship 2001
Jaremey McMullin, UT, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship, 1999
Jasmine Waddell, OK, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2000
Molly Zahn, WI, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2001
Jay Varellas, KY, Sussex University, Fulbright Scholarship 2003
Sanjay Basu, IL, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Katherine Cafferty, NE, University of Sussex, Brighton
Abigail Neely, MA, University of Oxford, Rotary Scholarship 2003
Liz Vartkessian, CA, University of Oxford
Sean Braswell, TX, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 1999
David S. Leitner, CA, University of Cambridge
William Burke-White, NJ, University of Cambridge, Fulbright Scholarship
Jane C. Ingram, NC, University of Oxford, Rotary Scholarship
Jeremy Nelson, WA, University of Oxford
Paxton Williams, IN, University of Birmingham, Rotary Scholarship 2003
Joseph Venti, CA, University College London
Cyrus Habib, WA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Terry Babcock-Lumish, PA, University of Oxford, Clarendon Scholarship 2002
Katherine Larson, MN, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2000
Teresa Olsen, MN, University of York
Lauren Baer, FL, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Alexander Billioux, SC, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Scott Ferree, KS, Goldsmiths College, University of London, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Ben Champion, KS, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Robert Accordino, NY, University of Oxford, Rotary and Fulbright Scholarships 2003
Michael Hoffman, TX, University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Josh Woodruff, GA, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Mark D'Agostino, MA, University of Nottingham & London School of Economics, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Ellen Behrstock, IL, University of Oxford, Clarendon Scholarship
Jake Kraft, SC, University of Oxford, Thouron Scholarship, 2003
Jayon You, NJ, University of Oxford
Andrew Petiprin, FL, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Frederika Adam, CA, University of Oxford
Christopher Kirchhoff, OH, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2001
Seth Green, FL, University of London & University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Robin Stein, CA, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Joel Jennings, MO, University of Cambridge, Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2003
Anne Holden, TX, University of Cambridge, Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2003
Joseph Blocher, NC, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Jessica Beckett, CA, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Susanna Throop, NY, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2001; Mellon Fellowship 2000
Alex Heneveld, GA, University of Edinburgh, Marshall Scholarship 1998
Melissa Cox, NM, London School of Economics and University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2000
Jonah Lowenfeld, NY, University College London, Fulbright Postgraduate Fellowship 2003
Jeffrey Witsoe, CA, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship
Anne McClain, WA, University of Bristol and University of Bath, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Ann Kelly, NY, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Susan Rea, CA, University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2000
Christopher Michael, MO, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholar 2003
Talia S. Karim, OK, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Matthew Harsh, PA, University of Edinburgh, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Sean McHugh, TX, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Jim Heath, KY, University of Oxford
Sean Bennett, IL, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2001
Elise Thompson, TX, University of Oxford
Adam Gilbertson, WA, University of Oxford
Jamie Salo, MA, University of Oxford
Marisa B. Van Saanen, MD, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Fiona Rose Greenland, MI, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 1998
Jeff Skopek, NY, University of Cambridge, Fulbright Scholarship 2002
Michael Bhatia, MA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Jason D. Williams, NH, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Jared Kenworthy, CA, University of Oxford
Dawn T. Jayaram, CA, University of Oxford
Richard Caldarone, PA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Ozan Jaquette, MA, University of Oxford, Shapiro Scholarship
Adam P. Frankel, NY, London School of Economics, Fulbright Scholarship
Tevis Jacobs, CA, University of Cambridge, Thouron Fellowship
David Roberts, NC, University of Oxford
Tatyana Yakovleva, CT, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholar 2003
Brian Lutz, AZ, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Theodore Hong, NJ, Imperial College London, Marshall Scholarship 1995
Marc Walton, CA, University of Oxford, Samuel H. Kress Fellowship
Adam Wolpaw, OH, University of Cambridge, Churchill Scholarship 2003
Mitra Ebadolahi, CA, London School of Economics, Fulbright Scholarship 2003
David Ishii Smyth, IL, University of Cambridge, Churchill Scholarship 2003
Steven Lau, MO, University of Cambridge, Sanger Wellcome Trust Scholarship 2003
Ann Marie Cody, MA, University of Cambridge, Churchill Scholarship 2003
Alexander Hughes, CA, University of Oxford
Sara Wray, PA, University of Cambridge
Janet L. Saint Germain, MN, University of Cambridge
Maria-Kristina Perez, NY, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Overseas Trust 2003
Hunter Keith, IA, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2001
Kristen Panfilio, FL, University of Cambridge, Churchill Scholarship 2001
Christine Hsu, TX, Sussex University
Kathy King, NY, London School of Economics, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Yahonnes Cleary, NY, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2000
Kate Marvel, OH, University of Cambridge, Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Chiraag Bains, MA, University of Cambridge, Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2003
Helen Scharber, MN, Keele University, Fulbright Scholarship
Joel Schumacher, NY, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2003
James G Wilson, PA, University of Manchester, Fulbright Scholarship 2003
Andrew Serazin, OH, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholar, 2003
Rya Conrad-Bradshaw, MA, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Thouron Scholarship
Alisha Myers, OH, London School of Economics, Rotary Scholarship
Brett Huneycutt, AZ, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2004
Nicholas W. Miller, SC, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Margaret McNairy, NC, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine/LSE, Fulbright Scholarship 2003
Alicia Blum-Ross, CA, University of Oxford
Jessica Kirkpatrick, CA, University of Sheffield
David Brogan, TX, King's College London and the London School of Economics, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Christopher Eaglin, MI, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Dr. Sloan Mahone, MO, University of Oxford
Anne Kafoure, OH, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship
Karen Kice, KS, University College London
Prateek Tandon, MA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Annie Coombs, NY, London Studio Centre
Stephanie Wang, CA, London School of Economics, Fulbright Scholarship 2003
Mary Ann Sivage, MT, London School of Economics, Harry S Truman Scholarship
Kris Kovarovic, CT, University College London
Courtney Peterson, VA, Imperial College London, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Joshua Goldman, CA, Imperial College London, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Grace Yu, NY, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship
Chris Laumann, IL, University of Edinburgh, Marshall Scholarship 2003
David Zipper, NC, University of Cambridge, Gates Scholarship 2002
Wei Ho, WI, Cambridge University, Herchel Smith Harvard Fellowship 2003
Stephanie Langin-Hooper, CO, Oxford University
Stephen M. Ruckman, MD, London School of Economics, Fulbright Scholarship 2001
Kira Morser, CA, Kings College, London, Overseas Research Scholarship, Thrombosis Research Institute studentship
Sunita Puri, CA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Yong Suh, GA, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Sachin Shivaram, WI, University of Cambridge, Harvard-Cambridge Scholarship 2003
Lincoln Bauer, MT, University of Sussex
Matt Landreman, MN, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Keira Driansky, PA, University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Alexis Gallagher, NY, University of Oxford
Justin Ehrenwerth, PA, University of Oxford
Nicholas Hartman, PA, University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Carlos Driscoll, MD, University of Oxford, National Cancer Institute
Davesh Maulik, NY, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Molly Claflin, OR, University of Cambridge, USC-Cambridge International Program
Stephen Paul Smith, FL, University of Cambridge, Fulbright scholarship 2002
Adam Cohen, NY, University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Aidan Flanagan, MA, Harvard Fellow to The Shrewsbury School
Erica Watson Borggren, IL, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Matthew A. Harriger, TX, Oxford
Somjen Frazer, NC, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Meena Seshamani, NJ, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 1999
Shayna Parekh, CA, London School of Economics, UC Berkeley University Medalist, 2002
Caroline Parler, SC, University of Oxford University, Rhodes Scholarship 2000
Nathaniel Parker VanValkenburgh, OK, University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Justin Anderson, OR, King's College London, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Chesa Boudin, IL, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2003
Daniel Vorhaus, NC, Lancaster University, Fulbright Grant
Geoffrey Chepiga, NY, University of Cambridge
Nitin Saksena, WA, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Overseas Trust 2003
Barbara Mergou, MD, University of Oxford
Tom Clifton, WA, University of Oxford and King's College London
Jesse Summers, KS, University College London
Jennifer Hansel, SC, University of Birmingham, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
Gabriel Brat, AZ, University of London & University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Emma Brunskill, WA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2001
Jada Twedt, OH, University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Jennifer Dunn, MA, Oxford University
Ben Young, IN, Goldsmith's College, University of London
Oeindrila Dube, NY, Oxford University, Rhodes Scholarship 2002
Eileen Cardillo, VA, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2000
Michael Evans, TX, University of Oxford
Carolyn Snyder, MD, Unversity of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2003
Sarah Stewart Johnson, KY, University of Oxford, Rhodes Scholarship 2001
Roli Khare, PA, London School of Economics, Shapiro Fellowship
Rob Pringle, NC
Ying Wu, NY, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2001
Benjamin Day, MA, University of Sussex, Fulbright Scholarship 2002
Amara (Amy) Guitry, OH, The Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Fulbright Scholarship 2003
Emily Abt, NY, National Film and Television School, Fulbright Scholarship 2002
Kathryn M Chu, CA, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fulbright Scholarship 2002
Michael Gillenwater, TX, University of Sussex, UK, Fulbright Scholarship 2002
Shawna Smith, KS, University of Oxford, Fulbright Scholarship 2002
Joy Black, AR, London School of Economics, Rotary Scholarship 2001
Krishanti Vignarajah, MD, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Jennifer Nou, MN, University of Oxford, Marshall Scholarship 2002
Christopher Bradley, TX, University of Oxford, Clarendon Scholarship 2001
Eric Jackson, ID, University of Cambridge