I have to take exception to something President Bush said recently. Actually, it was how he said it that bothered me. In pseudo-response to Cindy Sheehan's protest outside of his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Mr. Bush noted how U.S. troops in Iraq 'gave their lives'. This to justify the need to stay the course and finish the job, and in honor of those who have fallen - this to demonstrate how I personally have picked up on the diatribes of the Administration.
Look, Cindy Sheehan's son, Casey, as well as the other 1800+ who have died needlessly, did not "give" his life. His life was taken. It was taken by an insurgency that has arisen in response to an ill-advised occupation by an ill-advised invader who has indeed given the lives of hundreds of men and women. And in return this invader has taken many times more lives in the form of innocent Iraqi women and children.
President Bush gave the lives of our fallen troops. It is he who has sacrificed them. It is President Bush who has taken the lives of innocent Iraqi women and children. Perhaps a better commander-in-chief would take as much responsibility. I know of lesser leaders who would.
Still, Bush persists to make the comparison between those fallen with Jesus Christ. By using language consistent with an evangelical preacher describing the human sacrifice of Christ, Bush mesmorizes his hand-picked audiences into believing this war is justified. Marx was right - religion truly is the opiate of the masses. Bush proved no less in Idaho this week when he used the language of religion to persuade a mass of proverbial drug users.