Respect: By the people, of the people, for the people
By Adam Holmberg
New Perspectives Column, Nov. 13, 2003
A friend of mine – we’ll call him John, as he asked me to do a Dragnet on this story and change it a little to “protect the innocent” — works at an elementary school as an administrator. Recently, twice, he has received telephone calls from mothers who have had issues with school policies and procedures. There is a set grievance process at this school, and the mothers have to call John to set up an appointment or to ask for an exception in the policies, as these two women did. However, in both cases the mothers took issue with policies that could not be changed, and John had to explain that it was out of his hands to do anything. Both mothers eventually xsaid “F—k you” and hung up.
One of the mothers called again a couple weeks later – it was a delinquency matter with her son – and a meeting with John would have to take place before the child could be put back in school. John, during this meeting, came in with an open mind and treated this woman with respect, as if the incident over the phone had never happened. Unfortunately, she once again – while not using expletives – did not return the respect that had been extended to her by John.
A similar disrespect was made to the American people in the last issue of the IV Leader by columnist Joe Crowley – specifically, his use of a rather inflammatory and needless metaphor, comparing President George W. Bush with Adolf Hitler. My feelings on President Bush and his administration are well known by any regular reader of this newspaper; however, Mr. Crowley’s remark is remarkably inappropriate and shows a disturbing lack of respect or knowledge for the American system of Democracy.
First, a statement of belief. I do not believe that President Bush is guilty of the attempted genocide of a race of people. While the President has allowed measures of racial profiling and discrimination by John Ashcroft against Arab people in America, citizens or not, he has not allowed the construction of concentration camps for those people. He has not condoned Ashcroft to build chemical showers and blast furnaces so we can exterminate Arab people. I do not believe that President Bush has stated in any speech that these Arab people are responsible for the horrible unemployment numbers, and I seem to recall him discouraging the vandalism of Muslim churches and Arab businesses after Sept. 11, going as far as standing beside Arab Americans in friendship.
I do believe that the American military action in Iraq that took place this year is immoral and illegal because it is a violation of the treaties and laws we agreed to follow when we signed as a member of the United Nations. I also believe that this military action came about because “evidence” of the manufacture and existence of illegal weapons programs in Iraq was falsified and exaggerated by members of the Bush administration, including the President himself. I believe that every member of the Bush administration that has forwarded this illegal activity – including Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice – should be investigated and impeached if necessary for high crimes and misdemeanors – namely, telling the American people a lie far worse than “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” I believe that the Bush administration has, instead of responding to terrorist activity by al Qaeda, encouraged a culture of fear in the United States that has shaken and destroyed the American economy, including those strides in economic security and consumer confidence made by President Clinton that ensured record number of Americans had jobs. I believe that President Bush is guilty of endangering the future of the world by ignoring measures of environmental protection and resource management.
As I have stated before, President Bush did not win the election that gave him his job, but he did not employ agents to knife any sleeping Democrats. Instead, Al Gore, hoping to minimize the damage of distrust between parties in his country, conceded the election like a gentleman, quietly stepping aside. And, as much as I would like to make a connection, I do not see any evidence – despite the numerous investigations, independent or otherwise – that states President Bush participated in the botched electoral results in the state of Florida. That election was not Watergate, part two.
Most importantly, I do not believe that President Bush is Adolf Hitler in a cowboy hat. I do not believe that this nation has suddenly transformed into a fascist state. If you doubt that Mr. Crowley, remember that if your metaphor was true, you would be dead. I would be dead. There would be no opinion polls, no Howard Dean, no protests.
Mr. Crowley presents a point-by-point argument in how he feels President Bush has failed in his duties to the people in America. That’s fine, but he did not even attempt to back up his metaphor, and by making the implication he has shown disrespect for every person in America. It is true that President Bush, as stated before, illegally entered Iraq, overthrew the horrible but legitimate government of that nation, and arguments can and have been made as to how this “war” has meant profit for many of our elected leaders. But, Mr. Crowley disrespects the people of America by insinuating that we would stand by as our nation becomes fascist. The Germans stood by - some even celebrated - as Adolf Hitler used the Jews as scapegoats for the failure of that nation’s leaders to keep it out of economic depression. By stating that Bush is Hitler in a cowboy hat, Crowley states that Bush has committed horrible crimes (but offers no proof of these crimes) and that we have stood by and allowed it to happen, because if Bush is Hitler than we are Nazi Germany.
However, Mr. Crowley, like so many other people in America, finds it so easy to make broad, blanket, or narrow, unconsidered, inflammatory statements instead of constructing a thoughtful argument and standing on the strength of that argument. People like Mr. Crowley disrespect intelligence, in favor of a statement or action that will provoke the emotions and perhaps cause rash action, instead of seeking to find a real solution to a problem.
Mr. Crowley’s metaphor is no better than the fear created by the Bush administration to support its “war on terror.”