Posted on 12/26/2008 6:46:21 AM PST by vietvet67
The Bush hatred we are seeing in the media today belongs in the long catalogue of human psychopathology -- not rational behavior. The latest version is the shoe-throwing incident in Iraq. Iraq happens to be a hot war zone, in which tens of thousands of innocent people have been killed by hidden bombs. Bush' protective detail had no way of knowing whether an assassinaton attempt was under way, in just the way Saddam tried to assassinate George H.W. Bush, Sr. At the end of his two terms of office, the President flew to Iraq, into harm's way, knowing the dangers, to hold an open press conference.
But our media harbor such bitter hatred for him that they turned a potential bomb-throwing incident --- by one of their own --- into a joke, just another reason to sneer at the President. If anybody threw a cream pie at Obama, screaming headlines would be launched for days afterward. Nothing but sneers followed the potential attack on George W. Bush, which he fended off with his usual grace and humor. I have never known a US president to be treated as disgracefully as this one. The political case against him is based almost entirely on media falsehoods, slanders, and greed for power. Not much rationality there.
Our public melodrama is therefore being driven, not by facts and reason, but by the most primitive emotions that prey on human minds. Human brains haven't changed much in the last thirty thousand years. Homo sapiens is a lot more prosperous species than ever, but prosperity just allows those ancient demons to come out more freely. If we were huddled by a small fire in a cave, hungry and miserable, we could not indulge our fantasies as much as the pop media now allow themselves to do. Prosperity permits our primitive urges to flourish on the public stage.
President George W. Bush is being crucified in the public square in spite of his plain decency and goodness, and in spite of his remarkable success in winning two difficult wars to protect this nation from harm. All wars are hard; all wars involve mistakes and self-correction. All wars, if they are to be won, come at a cost.
While it is natural enough for conservatives to be upset by the blatant unfairness of the propaganda media --- indeed, by their visible madness --- if we just take a little mental distance, we can easily see an ancient anthropological drama: The crucifixion of the reigning king, along with the messianic glorification of a new one, who will surely rescue us from our media-driven despair. (Of course the new king will also grow weaker in time, in spite of his charismatic magic ...) This is the stuff of Shakespeare and Sophocles. George W. Bush's "head is bloody but unbowed," to quote the poem Invictus, ("undefeated') the Victorian answer to political witchhunts.
The novelist Mary Renault described the whole ordeal in her classic story, The King Must Die. Renault based her tale on legends of royal sacrifice from the ancient Mediterranean world --- in Greece, Asia Minor, Crete, Italy, and elsewhere. Read it if you want to understand Bush hatred and Obama worship. Her source was Sir James Fraser's remarkable book, The Golden Bough. While anthropologists have backed off Fraser's claim that king sacrifice is universal, the respected scholar James D. Brown argues that the evidence favors "Oedipal rebellion" as a universal among native peoples studied over more than a century. We no longer hang our kings physically, but the Left and the media act just like the lynch mobs of old. Listen to their voices and you'll hear the ancient roar of the mob.
We can watch the tragicomedy of our psychopolitics unfold and still keep some perspective. Think of it as a stage play like King Lear, and pray that reason prevails in the end. The Leftist media are actors playing the ancient role of the politically envious, who exist in every tribal culture where the head of the clan sleeps uneasily, fearful of plots and assassination attempts. All politics is not just local, as the Washington saying goes, but deep down it is tribal.
What is hopeful today is what was hopeful at the American founding: the use of constitutional means to channel our loves and hates into a fairly reasonable course of common action. The majority of Americans are pretty sane and rational; they don't trust the political class, and they are deserting the Big Media in the tens of millions even now. The American Founders knew all about vulgar mobs, and lived to see them in the French Revolution of 1789, with Napoleon rising on top of the revolutionary chaos to explode into a mass war of conquest in Europe. The Founders despised all that. They designed the Constitution to steer a steady course in spite of mobs and demagogues. It has worked magnificently for two centuries, and with luck and courage, it will hold.
Alexander Hamilton famously said, "The people? The people is a great beast!" But that was not accurate: We are all "the people," as the Declaration of Independence tells us. "The people" are the source of all good and bad things. The people -- properly balanced by a constitutional apparatus -- have brought prosperity that was unimaginable two hundred years ago. The people harbor wisdom and common sense in a way that snobbish elites soon forget. Conservatism is skeptical about human nature, but not cynical or despairing. Nor do we look to messianic leaders like Barack Obama to solve our problems. We look to muddle through, to give individuals the space to grow and succeed, to stand against the mobs, to fail at times, and then to fight again.
Whenever conservatives see yet another mob movement from the Left, we feel it is our obligation to stand in opposition. It is not unpatriotic to criticize the messiah of the moment -- though the Left will say so. It is our duty. We can do so with reason, with humor, and with clear thinking about the bad ideas the Left seems to carry around like a scratchy case of the fleas.
President Bush is not a theoretical politician. He is a practical man. He has constantly made the best decisions by his lights, sometimes against his own ideals, because reality sometimes makes things like war necessary; sometimes it makes massive bailouts necessary. The conservative question is always, "What is the realistic alternative?"
The end product of conservative politics is a mix of realism and idealism. Bush has liberated some fifty million Muslims, including one Arab journalist who just hurled his trendy hush puppies at him in an ancient gesture of contempt. That man is alive today because of George W. Bush -- Saddam would have fed him screaming into a plastic shredder. Compared to Obama and the corruptocrats, Bush will soon look like an American hero. Just watch it happen.
The first term he was elected because of Clinton fatigue and his pedigree. He had a dork for an opponent and he still barely won.
The second term, security was the main issue, the economy had started to improve due to a tax cut written by congressional Republicans, not W. He had a dork for an opponent and still barely won.
W is the worst two term president in history and easily in the bottom half of all presidents.
After accusing Bush criticisms as being irrational, this guy then goes on THIS RANT? I think Bush has been horrifically ineffective because of the do-nothings he has put in positions of leadership, but it is a stretch to get from there to Obama worship. Hamilton was a great administrator, which Bush is not, and he was no friend of democracy.
None of these people were liberal in either the classical or modern sense, but availed themselves of the rhetoric of Utopian socialism, which claims for itself a moral imperative that, as you note, always ends in "profoundly inhumane tyranny". As for Mr. Obama, even if I thought him a potential tyrant (his ego militates that way; his manner does not) he would be severely constrained by our own unique conditions and history, including a still-vital Constitution and long experience with freedom and democratic institutions.
‘” ... emotions are the products of the premises held by your mind—that as man must produce the physical values he needs to sustain his life, so he must acquire the values of character that make his life worth sustaining—that as man is a being of self-made wealth, so he is a being of self-made soul ...”
From Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged.
________________________________________________________
Thank you for this post ... worth repeating again and again ..
Just curious. Do you think it was ok to asking for, get, distribute to the guys who got us into our financial mess and then refuse to account to the American public for $700B in bailout money?
Oh, and toodleoo.
There is only one God, and everyone who worships is worshiping Him. The difference is humanity's opinion of His Nature.
Are we back to the "Conservatives stayed home" mantra?
I would expect that conservatives voted overwhelmingly for Bush and again, overwhelmingly, for McCain...and I do truly dislike McCain!
For my part, I strongly disagree with both McC and GWB on immigration; totally and without condition. I also disagree with both in their compulsion to get along with those who would bury them in an instant - and pretty much did bury McCain.
However; remember that the people, not politicians and certainly not the media, turned back the late administration/McCain amnesty scheme and that the same people would have done it again even under a McCain presidency. None of my disagreements are adequate to define as "dripping, smoldering hatred".
Since the election I have sensed a growing undercurrent of remorse(?) from "middle of the road" Obama voters - not conservatives - and in each case their vote for Obama, or failure to vote at all, was attributed to "everyone I know hated Bush so much..."
When I tell them I wasn't overfond of him either, but didn't use that to pi%% away a vote, they get a whipped puppy look and go all quiet.
The true believers, in contrast, go directly to comparisons of Obama-magic versus (conservatives') envy, ignorance, evil intent, racism, bestiality, and imminent ruin.
If a few in this forum actually do hate the man or his policies, so be It!
And, note that I reserve the right never to drink designer label tequila with the same smoldering fervor.
In the meantime, get over the blame-a-conservative thing because without (Sarah Palin and) a bunch of conservatives who did go out and vote, McCain would be road kill instead of just an embarrassment.
You said — “There is only one God, and everyone who worships is worshiping Him. The difference is humanity’s opinion of His Nature.”
Well, that’s obviously what Bush is thinking — but — that’s a big fallacy, unfortunately.
You see..., we can identify who we worship by His characteristics. Now, I would not say that God is schizophrenic. Obviously, God says he’s not — so we can examine “God’s characteristics” (of what He says about Himself and what He thinks and what He does) to see if we’re talking about the *same being*...
Of course, Bush is talking in terms of his Christianity and I’m talking in terms of Christianity, too. So, we’re taking this in comparison to Islam (because that’s what Bush was discussing). Mind you, also, Jesus is part of the Triune Godhead in Christianity (an *absolutely fundamental* and necessary doctrine, without which one is *not* considered to be Christian).
Christianity — The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has a Son (i.e., the Son of God) who was sent to earth in human form to be the salvation of the world.
Islam — The God of the Koran has no Son — at all. Anyone who says that God has a Son, is teaching a lie and is an infidel.
—
Christianity — Jesus is God (see John 1, for the “Word”)
Islam — Jesus is not God, only a prophet
—
Christianity — Jesus is the author of salvation, the *only* way to God
Islam — Jesus is a prophet, but Mohammed is the greatest prophet, dying in Jihad is the only *assured* way to Heaven
—
Christianity — Jesus died on the cross for payment of sins for the world
Islam — Jesus did not die on the cross and he cannot pay for the sins of the world
—
Christianity — When Jesus returns he rescues Israel and saves them from destruction.
Islam — When Jesus returns, he helps destroy the infidels and kills all the Jews and Christians.
—
Christianity — When Jesus returns, He does battle with the surrounding nations, around Israel (the Islamic nations) and destroys all those nations, who have acted wickedly against Israel.
Islam — When Jesus returns, he helps destroy the nation of Israel
—
Christianity — God accepted the offered sacrifice from Abraham of — Isaac
Islam — God of the Koran accepted the offered sacrifice from Abraham of — Ishmael
—
Christianity — God’s most holy place in the world is the Temple in Jerusalem
Islam — the God of the Koran’s most holy place is the Kabba in Mecca
—
Christianity — God’s presence was seen and observed in His Holy Temple in Jerusalem
Islam — There never was a temple in Jerusalem and it’s a myth.
—
Christianity — God’s Son, Jesus will rule over the nations of the world from the Throne of David in Jerusalem
Islam — Koran’s god says Jesus will not rule and there was never a “Throne of David”, it was a myth.
By the “characteristics” of the God of the Bible, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — in comparison to — the false god of the Koran — we see that the characteristics, statements, attitudes and purposes — *do not* match up. This is *very clear proof* that we are talking about *two different entities*.
In fact, we have *identified* the entity of the god of Islam — because he matches the characteristics of Satan.
So, it appears that Islam worships the “god of this world” — Satan, while Christians worship the Creator God of the Universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I had no problems with the cabinet of the first GWB term. The second, however, has been increasingly disappointing.
I have also disgreed with GWB on several issues. They are probably the same ones you hate him for.
But I certainly don’t hate him. Guess that’s the difference between us.
Perhaps you don't know the difference. Despise - definition:
1.to look down on with aversion
2. to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful
I think that is my meaning exactly.
Decency and goodness would have already pardoned Ramos and Compean.
Bush is good and decent like Nixon was.
bump
Bush has had 4 things going for him over the 8 years.1. He was tough on Islamofascism in the ME . 2. He cut taxes putting into effect a good economy until Sept. , 2008. 3. He actually got help for Aftica Aids epidemic , more than any liberal group.4. He appointed Roberts and Alito . But, he has failed in many areas: illegal immigration, the farm bill, trade deficits not forcing an real energy solution on Congress though in the minority and not defending himself or the Pubs.
Adios.
..and that my FRiend is the reality check. Going to be an interesting 4 years and the resoration of Pres. GW BUSH accomplishments...
Great article and sadly true. I will always hold President Bush in high esteem for the way and slander on his character. God bless you, sir.
Its excellent analysis
BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM BUSH = BUM
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.