Bush, Hubris? How 'Distinctly American...'

[neoblues]

Second paragraph of Bush's Address to the Nation tonight.

"Yet on that awful day, we also witnessed something distinctly American: ordinary citizens rising to the occasion, and responding with extraordinary acts of courage."

Seriously, I'm sure there were plenty of courageous, noble and heroic acts during and after the catastrophic events of 09/11/01. Still, somehow I just can't make the leap that the resonses were any more special just because they were by Americans. Methinks that the people of any country facing such terrible events would respond very much the same.

Sure, there were hundreds of phrases, concepts and claims in Bush's address that deserve to be attacked as being inane, insane, meaningless, obnoxious, false, revisionist, and any number of other negative descriptors... this was just one of the revolting phrases he started out with, and the first that struck me as obviously absurd. No doubt he was just playing the rold of "Healer in Chief" (as I heard Tweety (Tim Russert) call him just afterwards), trying to make people feel good about America and identify those courageous acts with himself--sleazy politician in chief. Alas, we're stuck with "Catastrophe in Chief" firmly entrenched in the Office of the President of the United States. If only...

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. Consider the source......

:grr:

[cspanlovr]

2. Its the myth of American exceptionalism. Its bs.

[Eric J in MN]

3. I'm pretty sure that there are brave people in other countries, too.

I hope that a year from now, we'll have a media which provides a broader international perspective.

[Liberal Gramma]

4. Who ranks lower on humanity's scale?

Bush's speechwriters? or political advisors? I can't imagine having so little integrity that I could write speeches for * that I know do not reflect his real thoughts and intentions; I cannot imagine ruining an honorable man's reputation simply because he does not agree with my politics; and I cannot imagine the cynicism it must take to brandish wedge issues that I don't seriously believe in just to win votes. Am I naive? Or is this group truly drawn from the dregs of the gene pool?

[neoblues]

5. Absolutely the lowest form of life.

by their very existence, the whole world suffers and is decreased. Sad to think that the very ones who deserve their lives are those who receive the greatest share of wealth, status, privelege and comfort. Well, life isn't fair (and truer words have never been spoken).

Somehow, someday, these people should be forced to give back and help those who've suffered in their place. If there's any justice, they should also face punishment and pay for the epic harm, destruction, death and suffering they've wrought. But you know they don't even imagine themselves as anything but noble and doing what's right no matter how hard (or who, other than themselves, pays (with their lives and futures)).