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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (47321)	1/30/2008 2:33:17 PM
From: cnyndwllr	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541880

Tim, re: "Being involved in fraternities, and cheer leading doesn't imply that you where not concerned about political issues. Even if it did, not being involved in politics at some particular point of your life doesn't strike me as a necessarily negative thing. If Bush was apolitical in his college years (and I have no reason to think he was) that doesn't bother me a bit." Not being involved in the issues of the day??? ...in the 60s...as the elder son of George H. W. Bush...with protesting Kent State students gunned down on campus by NG troops...with near riots in the streets...with planes loaded with body bags numbering the hundreds EVERY DAY coming home from VN to grieving families...as your connections eventually get you a pass into the National Guard and a seat as a pilot. THAT doesn't strike you as a negative history in the man you would want as president of your country? You're a pretty easy person to please. And you "have no reason to think he was" apolitical? Yet another high standard. The sad truth is that anyone who wants to rationalize anything can find ways to say "I can't be sure...that's not so bad...other people did that too...maybe he had his reasons...". But the fact is that clear thinkers with active minds can amass wisdom and character during all their years and they don't usually take a pass on thinking, feeling and fighting for a better world. Those who are born to privilege in an ultra political family but fail to show any sense of duty or adventure, any intellectual curiosity, any empathy or compassion and instead pursue their own pleasure are not usually the "best among us." But maybe you'd like to contrast the life of George Bush with those of the Kennedy boys; JFK, Bobby, Jack who died in a top secret and ultra dangerous bombing run over Europe in WW11, or Teddy Kennedy? You may not agree with the Kennedy politics but you can surely contrast their level of commitment, curiosity, compassion, intellectual engagement, self sacrifice and public service with that of a very similarly privileged George W. Bush and see a very dim bulb in that mix? Maybe not; here's a test...which one of the 5 did NOT look pre-presidential? Ed