Culture of LIes
(Note: remember this blog is moving to a new home at: Against the Madness.)
In his remarks following the death of Pope John Paul II, on Saturday, April 2, Bush sounded all the right notes. He referred to Pope John Paul as a "wise and fearless priest who became one of history's great moral leaders." He said that " . . . the world has lost a champion of human freedom . . . ". " And that "throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak."
Culture of life is term that Bush likes to use. He's used it a lot lately. He used it in the Terri Schiavo case. The term 'culture of life' is largely drawn from the work of John Paul II. Some say he coined the term. In a 1995 Encyclical entitled "Gospel of Life", John Paul wrote extensively of a 'culture of life'. This could lead one to conclude that Bush was a devotee of the Pope. But the facts dont' bear that out.
When John Paul appealed for clemency for Carla Faye Tucker, who was scheduled to be executed in Texas, then governor Bush ignored him. Apparently the culture of life doesn't include the forgiveness that Jesus so often preached.
Before the invasion of Iraq, Pope John Paul made several pleas for peace. He said that the war, if it came, would be a "defeat for humanity". John Paul sent Cardinal Pio Laghi, a friend of the Bush family to deliver a message that said essentially, "God is not on your side if you invade Iraq." In a written plea on March 16, 2003, John Paul called on "member countries of the United Nations, and in particular those that make up the Security Council, that the use of force represents the last recourse, after having exhausted every other peaceful solution, in keeping with the well-known principles of the U.N. Charter itself." John Paul also pointed out that "to reflect on one's duties, to engage in energetic negotiations does not mean to be humiliated, but to work with responsibility for peace." It seems quite obvious that this was aimed first and foremost at Bush. Bush ignored him.
On June 4, 2004, John Paul delivered what The Guardian called: "a very public, relentlessly critical assessment of the US administration's performance in Iraq, attacking "deplorable" abuses of prisoners and calling for an international solution to the country's crisis." Referencing the prisoner abuse at Abu Graib, John Paul said: "In the past few weeks _ deplorable events have come to light which have troubled the civic and religious conscience of all and made more difficult a serene and resolute commitment to shared human values." "In the absence of such a commitment, neither war nor terrorism will ever be overcome." Did Bush respond by changing course or cleaning house? Rumsfeld still runs Defense. Negroponte will head intelligence. Bolton will deal with the U.N. Rice is Secretary of State. Wolfowitz is head of the World Bank. And the war drums are sounding over Syria and Iran. You tell me if Bush listened.
Bush's culture of life includes 152 executions as governor of Texas.
Bush's culture of life includes 1537 U.S. fatalities in Iraq since March of 2003.
Bush's culture of life includes 177 coalition fatalities in Iraq since March of 2003.
Bush's culture of life includes 11,442 U.S. troops wounded in Iraq since March of 2003.
Bush's culture of life includes, at least, 17,316 Iraqi civilians killed since March of 2003. Some estimates run as high as 100,000.
In the fire and brimstone spirituality of my youth, Bush's mouth would burst in to flames!
In his remarks following the death of Pope John Paul II, on Saturday, April 2, Bush sounded all the right notes. He referred to Pope John Paul as a "wise and fearless priest who became one of history's great moral leaders." He said that " . . . the world has lost a champion of human freedom . . . ". " And that "throughout the West, John Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak."
Culture of life is term that Bush likes to use. He's used it a lot lately. He used it in the Terri Schiavo case. The term 'culture of life' is largely drawn from the work of John Paul II. Some say he coined the term. In a 1995 Encyclical entitled "Gospel of Life", John Paul wrote extensively of a 'culture of life'. This could lead one to conclude that Bush was a devotee of the Pope. But the facts dont' bear that out.
When John Paul appealed for clemency for Carla Faye Tucker, who was scheduled to be executed in Texas, then governor Bush ignored him. Apparently the culture of life doesn't include the forgiveness that Jesus so often preached.
Before the invasion of Iraq, Pope John Paul made several pleas for peace. He said that the war, if it came, would be a "defeat for humanity". John Paul sent Cardinal Pio Laghi, a friend of the Bush family to deliver a message that said essentially, "God is not on your side if you invade Iraq." In a written plea on March 16, 2003, John Paul called on "member countries of the United Nations, and in particular those that make up the Security Council, that the use of force represents the last recourse, after having exhausted every other peaceful solution, in keeping with the well-known principles of the U.N. Charter itself." John Paul also pointed out that "to reflect on one's duties, to engage in energetic negotiations does not mean to be humiliated, but to work with responsibility for peace." It seems quite obvious that this was aimed first and foremost at Bush. Bush ignored him.
On June 4, 2004, John Paul delivered what The Guardian called: "a very public, relentlessly critical assessment of the US administration's performance in Iraq, attacking "deplorable" abuses of prisoners and calling for an international solution to the country's crisis." Referencing the prisoner abuse at Abu Graib, John Paul said: "In the past few weeks _ deplorable events have come to light which have troubled the civic and religious conscience of all and made more difficult a serene and resolute commitment to shared human values." "In the absence of such a commitment, neither war nor terrorism will ever be overcome." Did Bush respond by changing course or cleaning house? Rumsfeld still runs Defense. Negroponte will head intelligence. Bolton will deal with the U.N. Rice is Secretary of State. Wolfowitz is head of the World Bank. And the war drums are sounding over Syria and Iran. You tell me if Bush listened.
Bush's culture of life includes 152 executions as governor of Texas.
Bush's culture of life includes 1537 U.S. fatalities in Iraq since March of 2003.
Bush's culture of life includes 177 coalition fatalities in Iraq since March of 2003.
Bush's culture of life includes 11,442 U.S. troops wounded in Iraq since March of 2003.
Bush's culture of life includes, at least, 17,316 Iraqi civilians killed since March of 2003. Some estimates run as high as 100,000.
In the fire and brimstone spirituality of my youth, Bush's mouth would burst in to flames!
posted by srt at 4/04/2005 09:30:00 AM
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