Dear Liberal friends and/or Bush haters,
Most of the time I totally agree with you on the state of things in the world, but after listening to Pink's "Dear Mr. President" song I want to point something out: The President is still a human being who, more than we can ever understand, in many ways has the world on his shoulders. He (most likely) isn't a psychopath who only thinks about making money or oil. He probably sleeps much less and much worse than us because he knows much more.
I don't think Bush is the smartest, most well-spoken President, but I think he is a man, a husband and a father who I am sure he making the best choices he can. Even though I might not agree with them. Yes, our job is to challenge and to question government but I think its naive to think he is so greedy and oblivious to the humanity and the needs of the people that he taps his fingers together and thinks "how can I make more money not matter what the cost?"
That is just too narrow-minded.
posted by joelle @ 1:17 PM
5 Comments:
hi jo, just read this. one thing i find unfortunate is the label "liberal" put on those that dislike george bush. you're right, dehumanizing him is a mistake. as would be the dehumanizing of anyone people find offensive. but there are plenty of conservatives that are disgusted with this guy too, not just those that didn't vote for him. is it hard to re-lable this entry to something like, "for my friends who despise george bush" instead?
Good point.
I think the "and/or" covers it.
thanks for changing the hed on this. as a critic of this president's policies, i'm uncomfortable being labeled a liberal. however, labeling his critics as "bush haters" (and i regret my flip suggestion even, should have said "friends who criticize etc." ) seems devisive and simplistic but that's another debate :)
about the pink song, i'm curious why that would be the impetus for your defense of bush as a man. it seems like a reasoned and almost respectful questioning of where his head is at. she calls him "mr. president" and asks "will you walk with me?" that song rather sums up the frustration i think a lot of americans feel about this man. sure there are kooks that demonize him (just like kooks that would demonize presidents before him), but to me, this song isn't an example of that.
because he chooses to be unapologetic for his decisions and seemingly unwilling to allow criticism of him, that can be maddening. perhaps if he showed some humility to the people he serves, he would get the sympathy from me that you are extending him.
instead, i proudly stand as an american who weighs the evidence of public record of the missteps and mistakes this president has made and i will continue to criticize and question his motives and judgement. thank God i have the freedom to do that...
I like Pink's song. Of course, I think of it as a piece of art and she makes some leaps to dehumanize him that works well with the song:
"What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh
How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?"
I think some people take it too far and assume that he, and not all presidents, is seemingly unhuman.
We agree Lisa, really!
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