What Fresh Hell Is This? Jane Smiley

[Demeter]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-smiley/what-fresh-hell-is-this_b_30470.html


One thing you have to say for the Bush right wing. They know how to ask a question and then answer it themselves. The question, over the week-end, was "why do the Bush-haters hate Bush so much?" After these six years, after the escape of Osama Bin Laden, after the Iraq War and all the injuries and deaths owing to it, after tax cuts for the wealthy, after exposure of the corruption highway that runs between the Republican-controlled Congress and the White House, after the attempted (and often perpetrated) rape of the environment, after the debacle of FEMA and Katrina, after all the stone-walling and time-wasting on Global Warming (and these are just the high spots), they still don't get it?

Well, look at this, I say. First, a quote from a piece by Elizabeth Holtzman about the Bush attempt to insert into the military tribunal legislation a retroactive immunity against prosecution of Bush and Cheney for war crimes in having violated not only international law but U.S. law: "Creating immunity retroactively for violating the law sets a terrible precedent. The president takes an oath of office to uphold the Constitution; that document requires him to obey the laws, not violate them. A president who knowingly and deliberately violates U.S. criminal laws should not be able to use stealth tactics to immunize himself from liability." And we do know how "knowingly" Bush has broken the law because he and Gonzalez admit it and have been admitting it for years.


In the context of these two attacks on the law, what are we to make of the article in the Washington Post yesterday showing us that, yes, Bush is sympathetic with parents who have lost children in his war? He's met with 300-odd of these parents. He's been nice to them. Am I such a Bush-hater that I am not touched by his evident concern?

You bet I am. He MADE this war. He SENT these kids into it, knowingly not sending his own kids. Are his tears crocodile tears? And why is the Post running this article now, in the middle of an election? Just to show that the man is human? No one ever doubted that the man is human--his wish for immunity from the consequences of his crimes is all too human. His fear of immigrants, even legal immigrants, is human, too.

But really, my question is, how is it possible not to hate Bush? At this late date, when all of his policies have failed and all of his ideas have been exposed, and most people in the world and in the nation disagree with him, he continues to subvert the constitution (that "God-damned piece of paper") that he took an oath to uphold. What is wrong with you people who don't hate Bush? What do you think that he has done to deserve something other than hatred? Come on, be explicit. I really would like to know.

[babylonsister]

1. Good article! Nom! and thanks. nt

[marmar]

2. "how is it possible not to hate Bush?"

That's what I'm SCREAMING!!! K&R :kick:

[Canuckistanian]

3. Great article.

The wingnuts have been displaying unbridled hatred for Clinton in both word and deed for almost a decade now. And because of what? A consensual relationship which directly involved NOBODY outside of his family.

And WE'RE the ones who are becoming "unhinged" and "consumed with rage"?

You're damned right!

At least we have a legitimate REASON.

[lapfog_1]

4. They hated Clinton long before Monica

Monica was a result of that hatred, not the cause.