"Playing It Safe"

Character flaws seem pernicious at the highest levels of this government.


It's nice to know that we approved the appointment of a new Attorney General with such sterling attributes of moral courage.

During the original hearings, he didn't know whether water-boarding was torture or not.

But that answer was okay; it mollified a congress figuring that no one could be worse than the previous occupant of that august position.

And early on in his term, we have already hear him declare that he is not sure whether water-boarding, per se, is a form of torture.

Then, later, he said, he wasn't sure whether he was going to label it torture.

And now, it seems, he is ready to put the argument aside.

How convenient. If you don't like the decision, just forget about it....

Never mind, that citizens of our country have already been tortured using this method that sure looks like torture to this old veteran.

Never mind, that most of those who practice it, consider it torture.

Never mind, that it is banned by the Geneva Convention as torture.

And never mind that we, the greatest democracy that ever was, cannot find the core of our convictions to bannish the practice once and for all.

If our new Attorney General is ill-equipped to draw that distinction, just imagine how he will rise to the occasion on other questions of profound gravity to the future of this country.

It is clear, at least to me, that syncophancy trumps commitment to one's oath to uphold the law.

For it is the law that differentiates a democracy from other forms of government....

We had done it twice before and now Mr. Bush has the great honor of elevating cowardice and dishonesty to attributes worthy of a pension and a medal for service to this country.

When bad governance prevails, we all suffer and few have suffered more than the innocents who have had to countenance this government--a government of collusion, corruption and lies.

How dare he deliver a state of the Nation; how dare he dictate our lives with such abandon.

And woe those poor unfortunate parents who believe that by listening to their president, and sacrificing their young men and women they were benefitting this country.

MY prayers go out to them for being so deceived.

Les Aaron


Les Aaron