How about three years of mourning?
I don't mean any disrespect toward Gerald Ford, but doesn't giving him a national day of mourning seem awfully disrespectful during a time of war? When do the 3,000 service men and women who have died serving our country in Iraq get their day of mourning?I guess ordering the federal government to close today was easier for our current president than cutting his vacation short to show up for his predecessor's memorial ceremony on Saturday.
posted by judybat at 4:38 PM
9 Comments:
Thanks for putting this out.
I struggle often with the idea that maybe, sometimes, being nice isn't nice. Not when it lets too many off for too much.
Maybe true for our thoughts on Ford. Maybe true for Ford's thoughts on Nixon.
OK Judes, Rich and I both feel that while more should be done to honor those who have died needlessly and to no good end in Iraq "for our country", we also feel that a preseidents should be honored as well. As Rich would say "get off of your stump."
But she loves her stump! And she's so cute up there.
Heres the thing: While it is arguable that Ford's pardon of the Nix-meister was not consistent with either the letter nor the intent of our constitution, it was (I really am having trouble letting this out and on to paper) probablytherightthingtodo. OK, with that said, and to borrow the logic pattern of the Republican playbook:
Hoc: Ford WAS a Boy Scout when Scouts did not openly discuss their personal sexual orientation.
Propter Hoc: He did not discuss being Gay.
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc: Gerald Ford was Gay.
And I think we should always take a full day of mourning when a Gay President passes. I was proud to reflect on his life and contributions.
uh, ok. Here's the thing: it's not so much that I think Ford should not be honored for his service to this country; it's just that I think WAY more attention should be paid by the current administration to the price our troops (and their families) are paying for theirs.
What comes to mind when I see endless coverage of Ford's funeral preocession is how Bush tried to stop news outlets from running pictures of soldiers' flag-draped coffins coming back from Iraq.
And here's the other thing: if I get off my stump, I'm too short to see anything.
As far as I can tell 43 did more than try to stop us viewing flagged draped coffins, I'm going to go as far as to say that he succeeeded in doing so. And it is true that those in service of our country deserve far more attention than they get, but that would require attention be paid to flag draped coffins, something I think most "Americans" are happy to not pay attention to and the administration is happy to have them blissfully ignorant of. The problem may not be Bush, but rather the MORONS who voted for him. Which brings me back to my earlier post about some people being to STUPID to be allowed to vote.
I hope that, when Chevy Chase dies, we get a national day of pratfalls.
AMEN... I like Judy on her stump. Remember when Nightline tried to honor those that had died a year or two ago? The conservatives didn't much like that. Reminded people that war can be icky and have real consequences.
You're becoming more cynical than your Pig. Everyone who served the country, regardless of one's assessment of the cause, deserves honor, respect and admiration: hence Memorial Day. Ford had just one day, and I think he deserved it. We all know that President's Day ain't for him. Pig
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