Remembering Grandmothers, and Lovingly Modifying Their Admonitions to Meet the Times.

Submitted by mariana (United States), Oct 5, 2007 at 17:25

Hi Jennifer:
Your piece is very well thought out and perceptive. I definitely agree that Pres. Bush understood - instantaneously - the nature, gravity and objectives of the 9/11 attacks and the long, costly and painful road before us [reread his 2nd Inaugural Address].

Perhaps the most serious deficiency demonstrated by this administration has been their abject failure to successfully communicate with and be understood by the public; not just, GW, but his entire crew. GHW Bush has often spoken of his mother's horror and admonitions against "braggadocio" and her insistence that her children should never "brag on" their accomplishments. GW obviously got this message "loud and clear", and has inadvertently been hobbled [and possibly undone] by it.

Since the American People obviously do not understand/believe that we are in a world-wide struggle against radical Islamist terrorists, and that Iraq is a critical [centrally situated] front in this war, perhaps GW's grandmother's admonitions could be modified somewhat.

Somehow, the Bush family "modesty" has gotten translated into waiting for "others" to give credit where/when credit is due; unfortunately, "Them that knows don't tell, and Them that tells don't know..." or are utterly disinclined to give credit because they are driven politically in craven opposition.

The "professional deniers" understand that successful dissemination and exposition of demonstrable facts concerning the extremely grave world-wide threat to our Civilization's very existence would be inconvenient to their objectives... because the American People are not stupid! A bit pre-occupied perhaps and possibly indolent, but not stupid. If this Admin doesn't pointedly get word out to educate the nation and the world, no one else will.

It seems to me that whenever possible, the public should be informed in as much detail as practicable. I do get the concept that there are often great benefits to be had by keeping [intelligence] achievements dark, thereby keeping the enemy ignorant, guessing, and often unable to figure out "What went wrong?"; however, since the survival of our Republic is at risk from the jack-a-napes of the America-hating "opposition party" now controlling Congress, and their 1st Amendment protected "familiars" [95% of the media], the danger involved in keeping the voting public ignorant seem to mitigate against such excessive modesty..

How can Americans make intelligent, educated judgments when they are bombarded and overwhelmed with disingenuous propaganda and purposefully partisan disinformation from the NYT, WaPo, LAT, AJC, MsNBC, CNN et al, while those responsible for our protection remain silent or inarticulate? mariana

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