By Christopher Brauchli, CommonDreams
But optics sharp it needs, I ween,
To see what is not to be seen.
— John Trumbull, McFingal (1782)
What does George Bush have in common with prostitutes? For the answer see the end of the next paragraph.
As was observed in last week’s column, photographs of French president François Mitterand’s funeral, showed his widow, mistress and their daughter, all gazing sadly at the casket. Had Eliot Spitzer died while consorting with prostitutes there would have been no photographs of the prostitutes standing sadly by the coffin with Mr. Spitzer’s wife and daughters. That’s because prostitutes don’t do funerals. Here is the answer to the riddle. Neither does George Bush.
George Bush doesn’t even like to be in the presence of coffins even though it is thanks to him that the sad remains of more than 4000 service personnel have found resting places in coffins.
Unlike other presidents who in time of war have shared the grief of families of fallen soldiers by attending funeral or memorial services as time and location permit, Mr. Bush has avoided such displays of respect for the fallen and has barred the media from photographing the coffins of fallen service people returning from Iraq lest the sad sights create hostility towards Mr. Bush’s legacy war. What the American public doesn’t see or recall, Mr. Bush believes, probably hasn’t happened. That explains the most recent events involving Johns Hopkins University.
The Johns Hopkins episode involves “abortion” something George Bush opposes. That is why, for most of the years of the Bush reign, funding from the United States for family planning clinics in Africa that provided abortion counseling was reduced or eliminated even though the reduction in funding meant the clinics would be unable to distribute condoms, devices that are intended to reduce the need for abortion or provide protection against AIDS. Mr. Bush’s most recent attack on abortion was an attempt to remove information about abortion from a prominent Internet site.
Johns Hopkins manages POPLINE, the world’s largest database on reproductive health. According to Robert Pear of the New York Times, it has more than 360,000 records and articles “on family planning, fertility and sexually transmitted diseases. The database is funded by USAID, an agency that imposes severe restrictions on funds being given to any NGO that performs abortions or actively promotes it in foreign countries as a means of family planning.
As a result of brilliant and thorough research, out of the 360,000 articles in the data base, Sandy Jordan, director of communications in USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health, discovered two articles that, said she, “were one-sided in favor of abortion.” As a result, the organization asked that the articles be removed from the database. Explaining what might otherwise seem like the mindless act of another Bush “You’re doing a great job Brownie”, she said: “We are part of the Bush administration, so we have to make sure that all parts of the story are told. The administration’s policy is definitely anti-abortion and the administration does not see abortion as a part of family planning policy.”
Big Brother will decide what’s best for you…even to the detriment of your own health or education. If you cant find information about it — it doesn’t exist!
When the Dean of the Public Health School, Dr. Michael J. Klag, learned of the restrictions in early April, he ordered the restrictions lifted saying: “I could not disagree more strongly with this decision, and I have directed that the POPLINE administrators restore ‘abortion’ as a search term immediately. I will also launch an inquiry to determine why this change occurred.”
I wish there were more Dr Klags around, we really need them.
2 Comments
April 20, 2008 at 8:53 am
In a “perfect” world, everyone would be a virgin until marriage, which would not occur until the mid-30’s. No one would indulge in self-gratification and the “sex act” would only occur when the husband and wife wanted to create a baby. In a “perfect” world.
In a “perfect” world, no one would be attracted to members of their own gender. Love and desire would be limited by Nature and Divine Design to those of the opposite sex. In a “perfect” world.
In a “perfect” world, there would be no taxes. Social services only aid people who choose to be poor. Aiding the poor is an obligation of people of Faith, not of the Government. In a “perfect” world
In a “perfect” world, public infrastructure would be privatized. There is nothing the government does that private industry in a free market cannot do better. In a “perfect” world.
In a “perfect” world, corporations would not be burdened with regulations. The free market should decide wages and product quality. Market forces will suffice to prevent corporations from degrading the environment. In a “perfect” world.
In a “perfect” world, everyone will be White, speak English, and be an American. There will be no more racism, no more nationalism. To be even more perfect, everyone will have blond hair, blue eyes, and be right-handed. In a “perfect” world.
In a “perfect” world, all children will be in the upper 20% in intelligence. Every child will learn every subject with ease, and will graduate from his or her private high school with honors. In a “perfect” world.
And, in a “perfect” world, everyone will be armed to the teeth with the latest military grade hardware. Just in case they come across someone less than “perfect.” In a “perfect” world.
April 21, 2008 at 7:34 am
I think this may be an indication that his personality is defective.
When his mother did not attend his sister’s funeral, it fundamentally fucked up little Georgie’s mind.
Explains a lot.