"It's brilliant, being depressed; you can behave as badly as you like. " -- Nick Hornby

I am very ashamed to learn that the founder and owner of Blackwater Worldwide, Erik Prince, is from my home state, Michigan. Also, I am even more to ashamed to learn that Mr. Prince and I share the same religion, Roman Catholic.
I'm just as ashamed, but not as shocked, that he is the brother of Betsy DeVos, one of the wealthiest Republicans in Michigan and wife of Amway president and defeated gubernatorial candidate, Dick Devos.
Why am I ashamed of all this?
Simply put, Mr. Prince is a war profiteer. His mercenary company (although they prefer to call themselves a "Private Military Company") has received multi-billions in no-bid contracts for their involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to the contract (and possibly explaining them) his company has many ties to the Bush administration. The careless actions of his company and their employees are being investigated by Congress, the FBI, the  U.S. Justice Department, and  The Iraqi Defense Ministry.
Blackwater mercenaries have taken the lives of at least 15 innocent Iraqi civilians.  In most cases the mercenaries were unprovoked in their shootings.
All of his definitely looks bad on my beloved home state.
On the religious side of the issue, how can Mr. Prince call himself a Catholic is good conscience? Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessor John Paul II have condemned the United States and it's allies for there actions in Iraq. John Paul went so far as to call the war unjustified and immoral. Prince's actions and those of his company directly go against the What the Holy Father have said as well as long held church teachings some of which could have Mr. Prince excommunicated by the Church. I believe Erik Prince has lost the right to call himself a Catholic.
My only question left is why hasn't this man (as well as the other "Private Military companies") been brought up on war profiteering and war crimes charges? The simple answer is that they have illegally been given immunity by the U.S. State Department. But, I believe, it goes deeper then that. Blackwater is being protected by the very paranoid and secretive Bush administration.
So, yes I am very ashamed to say that people from my state brought about the sanctioned murder of innocent life in an immoral war and are making a profit from it. And I really hope I'm not the only American pissed about it and who wants something to be done about this.

Thanks,
Mark