Thursday, December 30, 2004

What is Wrong with President Bush?

One cannot live with sighted eyes and feeling heart and not know and react to the miseries which afflict this world.
Lorraine Hansberry (1930 - 1965), writer

President Bush continues to embarrass our country and antagonize those who do not like the United States or his “leadership.” Bush had a chance to once again show our great and unmatched humane side, but instead chose to poke a stick in the eye of the Muslims and Chinese leaders by delaying or hesitating, as the leader of the free world, to voice our country’s heartfelt sadness and grief.

Bush said that he and Laura, and the American people, are shocked and saddened by the terrible loss of life from the recent earthquake and the tsunamis in the Indian Ocean.

The American people and the world have been saddened for three days prior to today’s announcement!

For a president who prides himself on being prompt – what the happened? Did he decide that being on vacation excused him from being president? Was Carl Rove vacationing, were the speechwriters skiing?

There is no reason not to voice our heartfelt sympathy and pledge support within a couple of hours. Bush did not wait long to send condolences and heartfelt sympathies to Vladimir Putin after the terrorist attack in Chechnya, rightly so.

The Misanthrope would also point out that the loss and grief of this tragedy is not beyond our comprehension as Bush stated. We know Bush does not care much for reading, but he can ask someone on his staff about Hiroshima and Nagasaki and how many died there. In the meantime, if the Iraq quagmire continues at its recent pace for a few more years, we can expect the combined death rate from both sides may also surpass the tsunamis on Dec. 26, 2004, now that is incomprehensible.

Can I see another's woe,
And not be in sorrow too?
Can I see another's grief,
And not seek for kind relief?
William Blake (1757 - 1827), poet

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