President visits wounded troops and award Purple Hearts...GOOD!
The president had a two-inch scratch across the left side of his brow.
"As you can probably see I was injured myself, not here at the hospital but in combat with a cedar," Bush quipped. "I eventually won."
President makes lame joke comparing his minor cut to wounds suffered by people in actual combat...TASTELESS. Nothing like trivializing the sacrifices of the troops.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised by Bush's insensitive remark. He's been a role player his entire life from cowboy rancher to commander-in-chief. Someone should tell him it takes more than donning a flight suit or ten gallon hat to do a job you're not qualified to handle.
UPDATE: Born at the Crest points to an editorial in the WaPo that shows the real meaning of sacrifice as experienced by a grieving father. Lance Cpl. Edward "Augie" Schroeder II lost his life in Iraq on August 3, 2005 and these are his father's thoughts.
The words "hero" and "patriot" focus on the death, not the life. They are a flag-draped mask covering the truth that few want to acknowledge openly: Death in battle is tragic no matter what the reasons for the war. The tragedy is the life that was lost, not the manner of death. .....
Though it hurts, I believe that his death -- and that of the other Americans who have died in Iraq -- was a waste. They were wasted in a belief that democracy would grow simply by removing a dictator -- a careless misunderstanding of what democracy requires. They were wasted by not sending enough troops to do the job needed in the resulting occupation -- a careless disregard for professional military counsel.
But their deaths will not be in vain if Americans stop hiding behind flag-draped hero masks and stop whispering their opposition to this war. Until then, the lives of other sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers may be wasted as well.
This is very painful to acknowledge, and I have to live with it. So does President Bush.
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