"Imagine what it’s like to be a young person living in a country that is not moving toward reform. You’re 21 years old, and while your peers in other parts of the world are casting their ballots for the first time, you are powerless to change the course of your government.
"While your peers in other parts of the world have received educations that prepare them for the opportunities of a global economy, you have been fed propaganda and conspiracy theories that blame others for your country’s shortcomings.
"And everywhere you turn, you hear extremists who tell you that you can escape your misery and regain your dignity through violence and terror and martyrdom."
~ George W. Bush, September 19, 2006 speaking before the United Nations
Sounds pretty grim. Where in the world does this land void of hope exist?
"Imagine what it’s like to be a young person living in a country that is not moving toward reform."
This sounds like a land in serious trouble. Could it be someplace where ten per cent of the population controls over fifty per cent of the country’s wealth? Could it be a land where health care insurance costs so much that 46 million, or more, go without and the elderly have no hope but to curl up and die? Could it be a place where the workers and middle class must work longer hours in order to earn diminishing wages? Could it be a place where plans for a comfortable retirement are a hopeless dream? That would be a country in need of reform.
"You’re 21 years old, and while your peers in other parts of the world are casting their ballots for the first time, you are powerless to change the course of your government."
This is absolutely unacceptable. Wherever this country is, its motto must be "No government official left behind!" The voters must feel in their hearts that the elections are rigged to "elect" a candidate chosen by those in power. Or possibly, these citizens know that their vote won’t make any difference because all the candidates are corrupt. In this benighted land, all choices are criminal. In this dark country, candidates for office are bought by corporations, by special interests, and by that ten per cent who own half the country’s wealth. Such candidates are self-serving bloodsuckers. It is a sorry State where the citizenry is convinced that all that is certain are more taxes and less representation.
You’ve got to wonder what country George Bush is talking about?
"While your peers in other parts of the world have received educations that prepare them for the opportunities of a global economy, you have been fed propaganda and conspiracy theories that blame others for your country’s shortcomings."
This is disturbing. So, Bush is saying that the poor citizens of this dreadful country are fed propaganda and conspiracy theories? These languishing souls must live in a perpetual state of fear and paranoia. Shame on the leaders of this land for manipulating those whom they swore to govern judiciously. Who’s in charge of this evil scheme, Joseph Goebbels? I thought National Socialism was history. Maybe I was wrong. Or, maybe "they" just found a new name for it.
And what of this sad country’s inadequate provision of education? A decline in the quality of education is the most heinous way of stealing from the citizenry. An illiterate, ignorant populace will believe anything they are told. Test scores in this land must be plummeting or the tests are being made easier to compensate for increased ignorance. Maybe education is being dumbed down purposely to cover up a scandalous government fraud.
"And everywhere you turn, you hear extremists who tell you that you can escape your misery and regain your dignity through violence and terror and martyrdom."
How ghastly it must be to live in a land ruled by extremists! Can you imagine the plight of those who live under the iron fist of a shrill, obsessed government, which silences dissent, discussion and debate? Bush must have been referring to some place like Singapore.
In fact, it must be a place where opposing views are viewed as unpatriotic. Only The Leader is right! One dares not disagree with The Leader who claims that his inflexible views come directly from God.
Can you believe it? It’s sheer madness. And what of dignity? Obviously that has been destroyed. The entire world must look on this country with horror and disdain. This country’s reputation must have been squandered through acts of violence and conquest. Thousands of innocent civilians must have been killed by the aggressive tactics of this barbaric and vengeful land. A country that engages in preemptive war and inflicts far greater civilian than military casualties, must be viewed as a terrorist, rogue state. Pity the duped soldiers of this country as they are slaughtered and maimed for an unjust cause by a power mad administration hell bent on world dominance.
What is the name if this God-forsaken country? George W. Bush will tell you that he is describing some place in the Middle East. He doesn’t know that he has described the country of which he is president, the United States of America. THE END
Elizabeth Gyllensvard edited and contributed to this article.
