In spite of Leonard Pitts' hate-filled (and fact-short) opinions, Jeffrey Shapiro is absolutely correct ("Which of us should be feeling ashamed," Nov. 24).
Victory is in sight in Iraq, Iranian President Ahmadinejad is quickly losing support, North Korea is willing to negotiate, our borders have been strengthened, and the U.S. has remained safe from terrorists because of the numerous intelligent upgrades and re-organizations enacted by President George W. Bush.
Bush's cardinal sin seems to have been expecting too much from the people of his country. He believed in the ideal America -- one in which citizens are willing to make sacrifices to do great things, are unwavering in the face of adversity and treasure justice and freedom above all.
Bush has been neither a fool nor a failure. He deserves an apology [from the American public] because we were clearly not up to the task.
It never ceases to amaze me that, despite the demonstrable, undeniable incompetence with which this country has been governed over the past eight years, there are still those amongst us convinced that any failings are ours and ours alone. If only we could have been more resolute and supportive of Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader ©. If only we'd allowed him to exercise the leadership he was elected to exert...perhaps this country might be in better shape. Jeebus, what a garbage scow-sized load o' crap. I almost don't know where to begin in deconstructing this nonsense, but here goes....
Victory is in sight in Iraq: And just how are we to define victory? Security, while better (it could have become any worse), is still not anything to be proud of. Hardly a day goes by without reports of car bombs killing and maiming tens, sometimes hundreds, of innocent civilians. Victory? Jeebus...I'd hate to hear Mr. Wright's definition of "defeat".
Iranian President Ahmadinejad is quickly losing support: How, exactly, is this the product of any proactive American policy? The US government generally has ZERO impact on Iran's internal affairs, so how can Ahmadinejad's political future, or lack of same, be tied to any American foreign policy initiatives? Then again, if you think Commander Codpiece © cured cancer, won the Cold War, and solved the world hunger crisis....
North Korea is willing to negotiate: North Korea is playing the same zero-sum, play-both-ends-against-the-middle game it always has. Over the years, it's succeeded in tying the Bush Administration in knots. THAT'S bringing North Korea to the negotiating table hat in hand? Gimme a break....
[O]ur borders have been strengthened: And how is this true? Our southern border leaks like a sieve, and the only solution this Administration has come up with is to wall us off from Mexico, separating families and damaging local economies in the name of "national security". The reality is that, if you build a 30-foot wall, someone's going to show up with a 31-foot ladder. Meanwhile, our northern border is still the longest undefended (and most porous) border in the world. Any terrorist with half a brain will simply walk into the US from Canada.
[T]he U.S. has remained safe from terrorists because of the numerous intelligent upgrades and re-organizations enacted by President George W. Bush: Uh, right, warrantless wiretapping, torture, and the Kafkaesque permanent detainees at Guantanamo Bay may seem like progress in the war on terror if you're unwilling to look closely. In reality, though, none of these efforts represent anything except this Administration's continued efforts to erode human rights and the rule of law, both here in this country and abroad.
Bush's cardinal sin was not, as Wright so blithely puts it, "expecting too much from the people of his country". No, his cardinal sin was the willingness to cut corners, subvert the Constitution, and hold himself above the law. This country is based on the rule of law, yet for the past eight years we have been ruled by a President who literally believes that the law is what he says it is...and his Vice President has worked tirelessly to establish this precedent.
The cardinal sin of Americans lies in our willingness to accept such mediocrity and thinly-veiled criminality disguised as prescient, principled leadership. In standing idly by while The Worst President EVER © stole one and perhaps two elections, we're complicit in this President's ongoing efforts devoted to turning the world's preeminent democracy into what could well and fairly be described as a benevolent democracy.
The Decider © "deserves an apology [from the American public] because we were clearly not up to the task"? Please.... The American people were, have been, and are up to the task. We have been for over 200 years now. Our failing, and it's a sizable one, has been in our refusal to stand up to perhaps the worst, most inept, and most disturbingly venal President in this nation's long and proud history. For the past eight years, Americans have had exactly the quality of leadership we deserve...and I, for one, am ashamed. I'm ashamed that people like Eric Wright are so sheep-like in their devotion to their mythology/ideology that they're willing to tolerate all manner of ineptitude, incompetence, and criminality conducted in their name. Sadly, people like Eric Wright represent everything that has been wrong with American over the past eight years.
WE DESERVE BETTER. Come January 20th, we have a shot at something better. I hope we're up to the task, and that we can demonstrate that sheeple like Eric Wright have seen their time come and go.
