Bush: The Extreme Benefit of the Doubt

Apparently, in President Bush's human resources new employee packet when he became president in 2001, was an extremely generous benefit--of the doubt. Of course, this benefit was in as much one from his PR staff as it was from HR, and eventually from the numerous citizens of the US.

I say this only because I just about brought up politics into our family's Christmas Eve celebration, but fortunately bit my tongue before it got anywhere near out of hand. Actually, it was my Mom that started the politics topic. My Mom who, before George W. Bush became president, was an intelligent and independent thinker with an open mind and clear senses.

It was thirty minutes til Christmas Day and the grandparents were watching our boys at home, and we had just come home from "midnight mass." My folks were watching some 24-hour news channel that was showing scenes from 9/11 (primarily the World Trade Center attacks). My Mom, in a very off-topic sort of way, said, "that's what they need to be showing on TV all the time to get all these congressmen to change their mind about pulling out of Iraq."

In a knee-jerk sort of way, I accidently retorted, "what does 9/11 have to do with the war in Iraq?"

The room was silent. I said nothing, knowing that this was not the time or place to pick a fight about the obsurdity of the Iraq War. Dramatic pause.

I think it was my Dad, who ended the silence with something like, "this is probably not the time to start an argument."

"Agreed," I said with a half smile, knowing that it was late, Christmas was just around the corner, and I was off the debate hook.

However, I still shake my head in disbelief that my Mom, of all people, still thinks that there is a direct connection between the events of 9/11 and Iraq. There is no evidence that proves any vital link between 9/11 and Iraq. (If you know of any true evidence linking 9/11 and Iraq, please comment.)

Talk about giving someone the benefit of the doubt. I know that my parents are not the only ones who still think that 9/11 and Iraq are linked. There are numerous radio talk show hosts that continue this myth to their listeners, regardless if they are Christian or political radio blowheads. And there are listeners, like my parents, who continue to believe whatever crap is expelled from their deceitful lips.

The House of Bush is getting the extreme benefit of the doubt.

Again, I think, what about Saudi Arabia? Right. Our government leaders are in bed with the Saudi royalty, which means they get the same benefit of the doubt, too. In fact, they aren't even in the picture, regardless of the fact that the majority of the terrorists on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia.

Hey, while we are at it, let's just give our constitutional rights the benefit of the doubt as we allow them to be taken away one by one, in order to stop terrorists. I am sure all the soldiers who gave their lives during all those battles that led to our Independence in 1776, don't mind that we give those same rights away for the benefit of the doubt.

I am sure all the soliders in Iraq who are fed propaganda from the US government daily about how valiant their mission is, and how they are protecting the freedoms and rights of the US, those same rights that are being dissolved in the States, will likely give the US government the same benefit of the doubt as, or if, they come home with few rights and fewer government assistance to help them and their families with their physical and mental wounds.

The extreme benefit of the doubt. Where would we be without it? Maybe a whole lot better off?!