"Restoring Honor and Dignity to the White House"

I suppose, by now, everyone has seen the latest video of our president flipping us off. Again.

George W. Bush is an embarrassment. He is a spoiled, old-money rich punk who never had to do an honest day's work in his life, had everything he ever "achieved" handed to him on a silver platter, never had to become an adult, never had to develop the tools necessary to function in civilized society. He is so inarticulate that he is barely coherent. When he does manage to convey a thought, it is likely that it is a lie. In word and deed, his actions are those of an ill-behaved adolescent.

Don't get me wrong about the finger thing. I am not a prude. I flip people off, too, if it makes my point, where appropriate. That is the issue: there is such a thing as appropriate behavior, and in this case, most especially, where it involves the man who holds what is possibly the most powerful position in the world. Anybody with any brains at all should be able to realize that when you are in that position, you should behave with a little dignity and restraint (conservative ideas apparently lost on contemporary neocons). You should also have the brains to realize that whenever cameras are on you, you are representing all of us, the American people, to the whole world. People all over the planet will see Bush's asinine behavior and believe that his undisguised loathing represents Americans' opinion of them. After all, a majority elected him, right?

How stupid and immature can Bush be? We're not talking about complex protocol or unfamiliar customs here, we're talking about fundamental knowledge; rules of behavior that most of us learn at an early age. Does George Bush hate the American people that much? Does he despise the whole world that much? One thing is certain - he is apparently, completely unaware of the significance of the office he holds. To him, it is just the family business; a position of royalty, not public service. And, having spent his life in the lap of luxury, blessed with power and priviledge, he propbably thinks that being a contemptuous, sneering lout is completely okay - it's normal behavior for him and his group.

What do you think the security implications are for saying "fuck you" to open cameras and microphones? Since it was not directed at anyone in particular, it was obviously intended for everyone. You. Me. Liberals, conservatives, independents, everyone. Americans, foreigners, allies, enemies, pacifists, insurgents, soldiers, first-responders, victims of war on both sides, christians, moslems, jews, hindus, bhuddists, everyone. George Bush says, "fuck you all." Way to win hearts and minds, George, you insipid ass. Way to "bring 'em on."

But wait, it gets worse. There are millions of people in this country who actually think all of that is okay. They react to Bush's flipping people off by saying that it only proves he is human; a good-ol'-boy just like them, someone they can "have a beer with," a plain old cattle rancher. They want their president to be an asshole. Even as they cloak themselves in piety and proclaim themselves to be morally superior to the rest of us, they don't hesitate to excuse the most appalling behavior imaginable when it is committed by one of their own. To them, I say, Fine. Here is our response.

Wouldn't it be nice if, next time, we managed to elect a president who is not a complete and utter embarrassment?