Yesterday was President Bush's 60th birthday (amazingly, he's older than Clinton, by a month; that seems very bizarre to me somehow). For this landmark birthday, New York artist Sheryl Oring took six weeks to travel across the country collecting birthday messages for Bush, gathering greetings from Houston to Raleigh to Tampa to Des Moines. Oring welcomed contributions from Americans regardless of what they wished to, er, express to the President; needless to say, some of the messages weren't exactly the written equivalent of jumping out of a cake. Here are a few choice examples:
President Bush,
I, too, turn 60 this year and I have never lived through a time of such dispair as under your administration. We can only hope that the next three years will pass without further catastrophe under your administration.
Sincerely,
Emily-Mary Brown
Raleigh
***** Dear Mr. President,
End this war. Didn't need to happen. My son, my grandson, my great nephew wer all over in Iraq. They didn't come back the way they left. Would you send your kids?
An upset female in Albuquerque
**** Dear Mr. President,
You have a wonderful opportunity - give a present to all of us and yourself and please stop that war. And then we will celebrate on your birthday and on the day you stop the war.
I wish you a lot of wisdom. And always make the right choices.
Rita, Maxine and Nicole
Brooklyn
******
Dear Mr. President,
I'm glad you've had 60 years of life in a country with fresh air, trees, relative peace and affordable housing. Unfortunately, children that are living at this time may not be able to experience all of those wonderful things due to the last 6 six years of your presidency.
I hope you enjoy yourself and have a wonderful birthday. The rest of us find it hard to celebrate when the country is in such a devastated condition.
Sincerely,
A Brooklyn resident
**** Dear Mr. President,
We didn't vote for you and we kind of wish we had a different president. But since you are the president, we want you to be happy on your birthday because nobody wants a sad president. Sad presidents might get grumpy and start more stupid wars.
Sidney mom, Sylvia (6) and Sheppard (3)
Tampa
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