Inauguration

Those who know me, know that I'm not a fan of President Bush. However, I am an idealist, and remain hopeful for the future. I didn't listen to the speech, but I did read the text. While there are hidden ideas disguised by patriotic rhetoric with with I take issue, there are also ideas I hope Bush and his government will hold themselves to. So often the US has shown immense hypocracy, supposedly supporting democracy and human rights, but in reality propping up or even creating tyrannies such as that of Saddam Hussein and in much of Central and South America. Is there pressure on General Mussarif to step down, or at least give up control of the Pakistani Army? If lack of freedom creates terrorism, where are all the Chinese terrorists? There was not a word about fundamentalist Islam and the threat it poses to the world. If liberty and freedom are good for the rest of the world, why are we still suffering under the Patriot Act?

If "freedom, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law and the protection of minorities" -- why is Bush continuing to say that he supports the amending the Constitution to take away the rights of gay Americans to marry as they choose? Rights that should be protected by the Fourteenth Amendment?

There is one partial sentence in the speech I love: "Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself." I hope each reader will make that choice.

I am in complete concord with the penultimate paragraph, and I hope Mr. Bush and I agree on the meaning:

We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because freedom is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul. When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction, set by liberty and the Author of Liberty.

The Daily Show's scoreboard: Freedom - 27     Liberty - 15

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I have no point-by-point examination of the State of the Union speech, because it all sounded like so much double-talk to me. However, Bush's central point about Social Security sounds completely BOGUS to me. Sending part of the contributions to so-called "private accounts" will *help* the predicted shortfall? Huh? Besides, people have been able to contribute to their own IRAs for many years. Those are truly private accounts. For more, see Factcheck.org: http://www.factcheck.org/article305m.html

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Bill Moyer's explanation of the thinking on the Right - The Delusional Is No Longer Marginal: http://www.tompaine.com/articles/the_delusional_is_no_longer_marginal.php
   Can critical thinking really be in such decline? Religious faith has not meant the abandonment of thought, before.

Open Letter to President Bush and Those Who Voted For Him: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/11/open-letter-to-president-bush-and.html

Call to Action: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/09/call-to-action.html

Politics: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/01/politics.html

The war - Deja Vu (All Over Again): http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/07/deja-vu-all-over-again.html

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2005/01/injustice-anywhere-is-threat-to.html

Modern Reality Cannot Be Amended: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/11/modern-reality-cannot-be-amended.html

Gay Marriage: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/02/gay-marriage.html

Marriage, the Bible, and Mr. Bush: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/01/marriage-bible-and-mr-bush.html

Open Letter to Dr. Laura concerning her Condemnation of Homosexual People: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/02/open-letter-to-dr-laura-concerning-her.html

The 14 Defining Characteristics Of Fascism: http://valoriez.blogspot.com/2004/11/14-defining-characteristics-of-fascism.html


Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people. - Jawaharlal Nehru