Monday, July 21, 2008

Happy 4th of July from President Bush


I have resisted making any commentary on President Bush on this blog until now. But his disgraceful behavior on July 4th, can not go unmentioned. This has nothing to do with the politics or his policies in his presidency. This is about his disrespect for our American history and the people who made it.
As is tradition, President Bush was at Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello to swear in new United States citizens. In his speech he quoted from a letter Jefferson wrote to Roger Weightman, stating,
“May it be to the world, what I believe it will be -- to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all -- the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government."

What a wonderful sentiment to share with hundreds of people who have fled their birth nations and have chosen to become US citizens. The problem I have with it is that President Bush opted to remove a line from the quote. Lets look at the original.

May it be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.

What is the lesson President Bush taught those becoming Americans that day. If you don’t like history, change it. Feel free to twist and distort our American heritage to fit your needs. Lie about history, because that is becoming the American way, especially for those which would place our country under the chains of monkish ignorance and superstition.

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