Bad Daddy Bush
March 26, 2002
By CLYRC

After September 11, I watched my first grader's school embrace patriotism and I listened to all the patriotic songs my daughter learned as a result. I smiled to hear all the old songs I had learned as a child, and I proudly displayed the flag she drew at school in our window. But she is a bright child, and eventually she realized that she was the only one who vocalized her patriotic feelings in her family.

So, with a perplexed look on her little face, she asked me if her dad and I love this country, too. Even though she is young, I knew she deserved a straight answer. I told her that of course we love this country, but we also realize that our country has its faults. When I pointed out to her that I love her dearly, but I also tell her when she's doing something wrong, I think she began to understand.

We love our children, but we know their faults, and we let them know that they must improve. We love our country dearly, but we will not pretend that our government can do no wrong.

I used the analogy to explain something to my young daughter in a way she could understand. Our country is not a child. I wish that our current administration would understand that the people of this country are not children, either. From the moment this president stepped fraudulently into his role, he has acted like a bad parent.

I have always noted an arrogant, "I know best and you don't question me" attitude in Bush. I didn't like that attitude when I was young, and I hate it even worse now. Bush, like a bad parent, believes that the people he governs don't need to know certain things, that we should just trust him to do what is right for us. In his case, it is probably more a desire to keep us in the dark about his questionable actions, but no authoritarian adult likes to be questioned.

When he ran for re-election as governor in Texas, I had the displeasure of watching his campaign commercials in an area where he knew he could show his true colors. He talked about those lazy people who let others do the work while they did what felt good. Bush promised to make those people do their share or suffer the consequences. Big daddy Bush was going to see to it that those worthless kids learned a lesson.

Even then, his attitude reminded me of a selfish father who refused to see any merit in a child who differed from him in any way. ( I will not deny that his obvious vision of himself as a righteous, hard working man is laughable, but he seems to see himself that way.)

And what could be more lamentably parental than pushing people to get married? Just as some parents seem to think that marriage will cure all ills, this administration thinks marriage will cure poverty. A caring parent might eventually see that marriage just for the sake of marriage is not a good idea, but evil stepfather Bush just wants to get people off his hands.

The worst kind of parent imaginable is the kind who thinks his children are expendable. Bush is not only willing but eager to send his "children" off to war. If he were the reflective type, he might question himself about what kind parent doesn't mind that his children will die.

Bush may consciously or unconsciously consider himself a father figure to this country. I personally will be glad when the people of this country tell him " You are not my father and I will not put up with this any more!"