A Vicious Man

The Wailing Wall of Bush. Except instead of pushing notes of prayer into the crevices, you draw out limitless notes of havoc.

Of all the lines in George Bush's farewell address, I thought the most shocking was "like all who have held this office before me." The line brought home to me a fact that I am often in denial about: this guy really has been the President for eight years.

After a hurricane, a tornado, or a more personal tragedy like the loss of a loved one, there is shock on the face of the person impacted by the event and when they finally speak the usual line is, "this can't be happening." It's the denial phase. That's where I've been. It's as if the whole eight years is a "this can't possibly be happening."

Recently, my sister wanted Nixonland as a Chanukah present. At the bookstore, I was directed to the Modern U.S. History shelves and on the way I passed the Politics and Government shelves... which as of 2008 could better be described as the "what the f*#@ is up with up with that guy?!" shelf.

Lots of books. Katrina books, Iraq books, Gitmo books, Afghanistan books, run-up to 9/11 books... In fact, look over the publishing dates on all the books published during the Clinton administration, the Bush the Elder administration, or the Reagan administration, I saw that never before during an administration have there been so many books published concurrent to that president being in office. Woodward hasn't been able to contain himself. He wrote one book about the Clinton administration between '92 and 2000. Bush years? Four books. It was as if he, as with all of us and our examinations of Bush, could somehow diminish his power. Eventually, thankfully, it did do that. But, I don't think that was the drive. And, the fact of him... still couldn't quite get it through my head.

So, I see the "what the f*#@?!" shelf out of the corner of my eye. If you ever bump into a family member, not expecting to see them... there is that split second you see what they really are. Who they truly are, without interpretation or prejudice based on what you know of them. In the bookstore, that's what it was -- saw all the books out of the corner of my eye. And, what I got was: vicious. This man was vicious. And the denial? If one is being continually assaulted, there is no time to accept. His assault on America is over. Our prayers have been answered.

Comments

[mikelangworthy]

It's tempting to blame George Bush's viciousness for the eight-year-long prison rape this country has endured. However, it gives him credit for a level of passion and, frankly, pathology that he doesn't have. Bush did not care enough about this country to protect it--and here I mean its institutions and constitutional form of government--and it would be too easy to forgive him if he were merely some kind of mad dog, not fully in control of himself.

The real crime here is his utter ordinariness. He was just the not-too-bright guard who opened our cell so he could get on the good side of the people who really were vicious.

[benjaminblue]

"The line brought home to me a fact that I am often in denial about: this guy really has been the President for eight years."

Vacant-minded Mr. Bush merely occupied a vacant office for the past eight years.

The 2000 election was aborted before all the votes were counted, so in truth there was no president for the immediately following four years.

Then, because the 2004 election tallies were manipulated by a Bushite in Ohio, the actual results were, again, negated; the "official" outcome did not mirror the expressed intent of the people. Once more, the Oval Office was left vacant, and once more, the vacant-minded Mr. Bush -- a vagrant as well as a common thug -- hid out there, like an escaped convict on the lam.

The delusional Mr. Bush may have referred to himself as "43," but he never earned that title. He did, however, earn a number of other appellations I won't repeat here.

[altohone]

It's not over until justice has been served.

Viscious isn't severe enough of a word to describe the war criminals.


When we have accountability, it'll be over.