CREEPING FASCISM, PART XIV

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Cindy Sheehan has really gotten to Bush. Even though
she wasn’t even still there, he fled Texas for Idaho –
on vacation from his vacation? – to find another
Mother who could talk about how proud she is to have
her sons in Iraq. Of course, they’re all still alive.

Here’s Bush on the anti-Cindy:

“There are few things more difficult in life than
seeing a loved one go off to war, and here in Idaho, a
mom named Tammy Pruitt knows that feeling six times
over."

"Tammy has four sons serving in Iraq right now with
the Idaho National Guard, Eric, Evan, Greg, and Jeff.
Last year, her husband Leon and another son Aaron
returned from Iraq where they helped train Iraqi
firefighters in Mosul."

"Tammy says this, -- and I want you to hear this -- I
know that if something happens to one of the boys,
they would leave this world doing what they believe,
what they think is right for our country. And I guess
you couldn’t ask for a better way of life than giving
it for something you believe in?"

"America lives in freedom because of families like the
Pruitts.”
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I have a few reactions to this fascist nuttiness.

First, this is what I’ve been saying for more than a
year now. American is slowly making a transition from
an upstart former British colony bound by certain
Democratic ideals like "Free Speech" and "Government
of the People" to a more traditional, Asian or
European-style country, bound by national codes like
Church, Nationalism, Patriotism, Language, the Flag,
and of course, Militarism.

This, ironically, at a time when Europe has itself
matured and moved on to a Post-Nationalism existence,
whle the Middle East is just beginning it’s
Post-Colonial Phase.

Also, I really can’t think of anything so ridiculous
as to announce that you would be happy to have a child
die for your country, except, perhaps, that you don’t
know why, just that they were “doing what they
believe” and “what is right for our country.”

Finally, you have to see the live footage of this
speech to get the full effect. Bush is not emotive,
or weepy, like he sometimes is. He is very
aggressive. He is shouting. This is meant as a
direct slap at Cindy Sheeehan.

The chilling part is where he pauses, for no reason,
and says: “I WANT YOU TO HEAR THIS”

What the hell does that even mean?

When he says the last line, he is practically yelling
and pounding the podium.

It was truly bizarre.


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