They came to praise King and bury Bush

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http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_doug_tho_060208_they_came_to_praise_.htm

 

February 8, 2006

 

 

 

They came to praise King and bury Bush

 

By Doug Thompson

 

George W. Bush's pathetic attempt to turn Coretta Scott King's funeral

into a politically-advantageous photo op fell flatter than his State

of the Union speech Tuesday – a textbook example of just how out of

touch the President has become with the American people.

 

" This commemorative ceremony this morning and this afternoon is not

only to acknowledge the great contributions of Coretta and Martin, but

to remind us that the struggle for equal rights is not over, " said

former President Carter, who remarks brought loud cheers. " We only

have to recall the color of the faces of those in Louisiana, Alabama

and Mississippi, those who were most devastated by Katrina, to know

that there are not yet equal opportunities for all Americans. "

 

Carter's comments ring true about Bush and his right-wing Republican

followers – a group of rabid racists whose tokenism only deepens the

racial divide in this country.

 

But Carter drew even louder cheers when he compared King's struggles

against FBI harassment and surveillance to Bush's use of the National

Security Agency and other government agencies to spy on Americans.

 

" It was difficult for them personally, " Carter said of both Kings,

" with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they

became the target of secret government wiretapping, other

surveillance, and as you know, harassment from the FBI. "

 

Bush tried his usual plastic smile but his body language clearly

showed discomfort as speaker after speaker zeroed in on the hypocrisy

of his Presidency – one that talks unity but practices division.

 

He offered phony applause when the Rev. Joseph Lowery, King protege

and longtime critic, who cited Coretta King's opposition to the war in

Iraq and scored the administration's phony commitment to helping the poor.

 

" She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way

afar, " Lowery said. " We know now there were no weapons of mass

destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we knew that there are

weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health

insurance. Poverty abounds. For war, billions more, but no more for

the poor. "

 

When Bush's turn came, the audience, for the most part, sat on their

hands, offering only muted applause for his seven-minute eulogy. It

was a pitiful performance by a President whose legacy is marked all

too often by shameless self-promotion.

 

Longtime political scientist George Harleigh, who worked in both the

Nixon and Reagan White House, called the President's appearance at

King's funeral " the equivalent of a walk-on, a token but-failed

attempt to show compassion that does not exist for a cause he does not

support.

 

" George Bush has never been a compassionate man, " says Harleigh, " but

lately he looks more detached than normal, like someone going through

the motions, marking his time and hoping against hope that his time is

not up. "

 

But Bush, despite his clumsy attempts to put on a strong public face,

should realize he is living on borrowed time, not only as a lame duck

President but as one who could well face impeachment if enough

Democrats win seats in this fall's House and Senate elections.

 

" The Bush era is coming to an end – in 2008 or perhaps even sooner, "

Harleigh says. " It is an era that will not be remembered fondly. "

 

There is little doubt that George W. Bush will go down in history as

one of the most controversial, morally-challenged, dishonest

Presidents to serve at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What remains in doubt

is how his Presidency will end and whether or not there will be an

America left to put that painful memory behind it.

 

Originally published at Capitol Hill Blue

 

 

 

Authors Website: http://www.opednews.com/blogamandalang.htm