VHeadline.com commentarist Mary MacElveen writes:  Just finished watching my local news of the riots that took place in Argentina in the wake of Bush’s visit to the Americas Summit and, while I abhor violence, I can certainly understand the mentality behind it when it comes to Bush.

• My feeling is that, if you keep oppressing people or systematically beating them down through economic means, they will react violently.

While I do not condone their behavior, they are sending us all a strong message and it is up to us to listen.

I found it interesting that the newsfeed I viewed focused in on a Burger King which was being pelted ... an American company being targeted as an American president visits ... I cannot think of a stronger message to send not only to Bush but to the rest of America.

I want to ask our elected officials here in America: Do you finally get it now?

Is this the best leadership we can present to the world?

Are you in the least embarrassed and abhorred by these video feeds?

This is the message that every single anti-Bush and anti-war supporter in America has been sending you, but you failed to listen to us.

Will you now listen to us?

Signs such as these: "Get out Bush!" and "Fascist Bush! You are the terrorist!" are pretty telling in themselves.

If you are an elected official in this country and reading this: What does it tell you?

Have you ever seen such a reaction in past administrations? I seem to remember on many occasions where Clinton was met with throngs of supporters eager to shake his hand.

How I wish we could go back to those days. No, I am not saying that he was perfect, but at least, when he went overseas, I knew we were sending the world a president where people did not have to resort to violence in order to be heard.

Also we were sending abroad a leader who did not lie about thousands dead.

As Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez addressed a peaceful crowd of 10,000 people, he said: "Only united can we defeat imperialism and bring our people a better life."

While some may be turned off of his use of the word imperialism concerning the United States, I have had conversations with some who feel we had the right to invade Iraq and seize their oil ... we seem to think that only our issues and our wants matter and the rest of the world be damned.

This is the reason I feel that such violence erupted today.

Now if you think that only President Hugo Chavez is critical of the United States, here's  Argentina's President Nestor Kirchner: "Latin America will no longer tolerate American meddling." He then went on to say (concerning past American policy): "not only generated misery and poverty but also a great social tragedy that added to institutional instability in the region, provoking the fall of democratically elected governments."

When he speaks of "provoking the fall of democratically elected governments" is he referring to the failed coup to unseat President Chavez in 2002?

Exactly when do we stop meddling in the affairs of other countries especially if our policies are harmful to the citizens of these countries?

We only have to look to Iraq to see how such meddling brought forth death and destruction.

Let us not forget that these quotes came from the Oresident who is hosting these trade talks. That is also a powerful signal to all of us, especially our elected officials back in Washington, D.C.

Also, according to the AP: "Ramon Madrid (a hotel manager) stated: "I don't like Bush, but this is too much. There is no need for violence..."

I would like to say to Mr. Madrid that I am sorry that my country's president brought forth this reaction ... to me it seems that the aura of violence surrounds him. I have nothing against free trade as long as it is fair to the workers. That is the message I think that these protesters were sending not only to Bush but those who think just like him.

As I view images of our American flag being burned, I would love to know what are the reactions of our elected officials.

Do we keep giving the world the same kind of leadership as we have with Bush?

Or do we chart another course where people matter and where we as a country can hold our head up high.

When can we stop hanging our heads in shame?

Mary MacElveen
mary@vheadline.com

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