Shirley Smith: Speaking of Honor

People should understand what honor is. It isn't about how Bush feels, which is exactly what determines everything Bush says or does. What Bush wants. How Bush feels, and what we see is exactly what we get from Bush.

Great excuse, Bush can't attend one funeral of our military, unless he "feels" he should attend all. He says he can't honor one without honoring all. Great story. But, he sent all of those people, including our National Guard, that are not militarily trained groups, without much thought, hesitation or even advice from experts. Bush did what Bush wanted to do, regardless of the consequences to our military or innocent Iraqis.

Great analogy for Bush supporters, but when Bush sneaks into Iraq and supposedly, honors only a few GIs, even a small room full of them, he comes a long way from honoring all of the military that he sent over there in his name, and these guys are still living. What does Bush's visit to those few military in the Green Zone in Iraq do for all of those in Iraq, who are posted throughout the country, never knowing when they will be blown up by a hidden bomb? Not much. Who is supposed to benefit from those sneaky visits into Iraq? Well, for the average American, it's a publicity stunt, GOP propaganda in marketing the war or advertising ... stunts that people have become immune to because there is so much of it today in the big guy media and TV.

Again, and speaking of honor, we've all seen movies of the victory parades down through the streets of cities and towns in honor of those who gave so much to the liberation of a country and their people. Remember WWII and those parades? But, as was mentioned by a soldier when interviewed on "Democracy Now," soldiers who served for Bush in Iraq, but were against the war after coming home, were prevented from marching in parades on the Fourth of July. So, the next person who tells me that burning the flag is disrespectful, when it illustrates or demonstrates the freedom of speech ... many Americans apparently don't even know what our flag does stand for. All that burning the flag business is nothing more than a trick, and total disrespect to the intelligence of Americans who understand what symbols are all about.

If our flag was really respected, our military would not have been sent to invade Iraq, and occupy a country that was of no threat to the US. Lies that killed thousands. That is not a sign of respect of the American flag. That invasion was not for the protection of our democracy or our flag. But, according to Bush and his supporters, a person can be punished if burning the flag was against the law, and yet, dying in an illegal war is okay with them.

Bush, who keeps telling us how he liberated Iraq, can't visit "one" town, village, city, or even a handful of citizens in Iraq, or here in the US for that matter ... but, he can sneak into a Green Zone, a zone that's heavily fortified with US military and US taxpayers' money (hence the Green Zone name), to visit their chosen Iraqi leaders and a few citizens. What we never hear about is how many people Bush drags along with him, even on those sneaky occasions, to protect his behind.

Speaking of honoring all US military, Bush doesn't honor all Americans during his trips around this country on speaking engagements, which are really collection plate events. The reason he speaks at all is so that Bush can charge these events to his expenses. That's not his intention, speaking to all Americans. These are private, even though they are made to look like they are open to the public, where money changes hands by the Bush GOP moneychangers.

Protesting is not allowed anywhere near these so-called speaking engagements that are charged to the US taxpayer (more Bush GOP green zones) and more disrespect to our flag, the symbol of one of our freedoms and that is "speech." The protesters are placed far away from Bush, the one they are protesting, into a "free speech flag adoration zone," (vomit), that is, if the protesters aren't arrested, sometimes charged, and then released after Bush leaves town. Thousands of activists' names are on "no fly" lists. That really shows respect for the flag. Every time our Bill of Rights is stepped on and abused ... burning a flag doesn't come close to the disrespect that is shown by the Bush GOP administration and their followers, to what that symbol really stands for and the reason many thousands have died protecting this country. Burning a flag does not take away the Bill of Rights from Americans, and Bush has done that many times.

Bush doesn't honor the living or the dead of this country, but, we do know there's always "honor among thieves." Otherwise, why would a GOP congress constantly support this lying, thieving administration? Bush doesn't honor Americans who disagree with him and his GOP policies. His presidency was given to him without the honor of being chosen by the American people. With so much honor missing ... why should anyone honor him at all? However, in honor of George Bush and to the honor of our flag, the only phrase that Bush should be uttering, with all honesty, should be ... "Your Honor?"

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Shirley Smith is a regular BuzzFlash Reader and Contributor. Many of her earlier posts can be found in the Mailbag.

Ms. Smith Goes to Washington

July 7, 2006		ARCHIVES
Speaking of Honor MS. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON by Shirley Smith BuzzFlash, People should understand what honor is. It isn't about how Bush feels, which is exactly what determines everything Bush says or does. What Bush wants. How Bush feels, and what we see is exactly what we get from Bush. He has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so. -- Walter Lippmann, A Preface to Morals, 1929 Great excuse, Bush can't attend one funeral of our military, unless he "feels" he should attend all. He says he can't honor one without honoring all. Great story. But, he sent all of those people, including our National Guard, that are not militarily trained groups, without much thought, hesitation or even advice from experts. Bush did what Bush wanted to do, regardless of the consequences to our military or innocent Iraqis. Great analogy for Bush supporters, but when Bush sneaks into Iraq and supposedly, honors only a few GIs, even a small room full of them, he comes a long way from honoring all of the military that he sent over there in his name, and these guys are still living. What does Bush's visit to those few military in the Green Zone in Iraq do for all of those in Iraq, who are posted throughout the country, never knowing when they will be blown up by a hidden bomb? Not much. Who is supposed to benefit from those sneaky visits into Iraq? Well, for the average American, it's a publicity stunt, GOP propaganda in marketing the war or advertising ... stunts that people have become immune to because there is so much of it today in the big guy media and TV. One, put to the commander-in-chief by the newspaper's Jeff Schogol: Has he attended even one funeral for a fallen soldier from Iraq? No, he replied. “Because which funeral do you go to? In my judgment, I think if I go to one I should go to all. How do you honor one person but not another?” he said. 'Stars and Stripes' Lands Exclusive, and Revealing, Bush Interview Again, and speaking of honor, we've all seen movies of the victory parades down through the streets of cities and towns in honor of those who gave so much to the liberation of a country and their people. Remember WWII and those parades? But, as was mentioned by a soldier when interviewed on "Democracy Now," soldiers who served for Bush in Iraq, but were against the war after coming home, were prevented from marching in parades on the Fourth of July. So, the next person who tells me that burning the flag is disrespectful, when it illustrates or demonstrates the freedom of speech ... many Americans apparently don't even know what our flag does stand for. All that burning the flag business is nothing more than a trick, and total disrespect to the intelligence of Americans who understand what symbols are all about. If our flag was really respected, our military would not have been sent to invade Iraq, and occupy a country that was of no threat to the US. Lies that killed thousands. That is not a sign of respect of the American flag. That invasion was not for the protection of our democracy or our flag. But, according to Bush and his supporters, a person can be punished if burning the flag was against the law, and yet, dying in an illegal war is okay with them. Bush, who keeps telling us how he liberated Iraq, can't visit "one" town, village, city, or even a handful of citizens in Iraq, or here in the US for that matter ... but, he can sneak into a Green Zone, a zone that's heavily fortified with US military and US taxpayers' money (hence the Green Zone name), to visit their chosen Iraqi leaders and a few citizens. What we never hear about is how many people Bush drags along with him, even on those sneaky occasions, to protect his behind. Speaking of honoring all US military, Bush doesn't honor all Americans during his trips around this country on speaking engagements, which are really collection plate events. The reason he speaks at all is so that Bush can charge these events to his expenses. That's not his intention, speaking to all Americans. These are private, even though they are made to look like they are open to the public, where money changes hands by the Bush GOP moneychangers. Protesting is not allowed anywhere near these so-called speaking engagements that are charged to the US taxpayer (more Bush GOP green zones) and more disrespect to our flag, the symbol of one of our freedoms and that is "speech." The protesters are placed far away from Bush, the one they are protesting, into a "free speech flag adoration zone," (vomit), that is, if the protesters aren't arrested, sometimes charged, and then released after Bush leaves town. Thousands of activists' names are on "no fly" lists. That really shows respect for the flag. Every time our Bill of Rights is stepped on and abused ... burning a flag doesn't come close to the disrespect that is shown by the Bush GOP administration and their followers, to what that symbol really stands for and the reason many thousands have died protecting this country. Burning a flag does not take away the Bill of Rights from Americans, and Bush has done that many times. Bush doesn't honor the living or the dead of this country, but, we do know there's always "honor among thieves." Otherwise, why would a GOP congress constantly support this lying, thieving administration? Bush doesn't honor Americans who disagree with him and his GOP policies. His presidency was given to him without the honor of being chosen by the American people. With so much honor missing ... why should anyone honor him at all? However, in honor of George Bush and to the honor of our flag, the only phrase that Bush should be uttering, with all honesty, should be ... "Your Honor?" Just a thought, Thanks BuzzFlash, Shirley Smith * * * Shirley Smith is a regular BuzzFlash Reader and Contributor. Many of her earlier posts can be found in the Mailbag.