Mr. Write's Page

Warning: political rant to follow.

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Well, the conservatives are being conservatives again. Reacting in fear and panic, ever oblivious to facts and logic, without an erg of empathy or compassion, they are yammering that no Syrian refugees should be allowed in the U.S. because of attacks by Muslim nutjobs in Europe and Africa.

Close the borders! Call up the troops! Turn away the refugees! Toddlers and old women in wheelchairs can conceal bombs, you know!

Last month, they were exercised about Mexicans. This month, it’s Syrians.

Most Republican governors say they won’t allow refugees from Syria into their states, even though they have zero authority to keep anyone out.

Meanwhile, the GOP presidential candidates are straining to act tough. Some of them wonder if we should accept only Christian refugees. Some muse about tracking U.S. Muslims with I.D. cards. With a large red M, maybe.

What a bunch of candy-ass, scaredy-cat sissies.

These guys boast of being resolute patriots, poised to fight, determined to make America great again, or whatever. Baloney. They’re afraid of their own shadows.

And the sad truth is, they simply mirror the conservative base, a piteous bunch that long ago stepped to the edge of paranoia and leapt into the abyss.

The conservative brain doesn’t work like a normal brain. Right-wingers don’t understand that if you callously turn away innocent people fleeing for their lives from a war zone, you undoubtedly are creating new enemies. Maybe a few, maybe a lot.

And of all those desperate people we abandon, not one — not one — will have a kind thought about America ever again.

The right-wingers may not understand this, but the Muslim nutjobs certainly do. Their chief strategy is to goad the weakest element of our populace into DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

Sheesh.

As the spectacle unfolds of terrified conservatives once again wetting their pants, some of the more rational news organizations have brought out a video clip of President George Bush trying to calm the fears of the populace and tamp down ugly reactions against Muslims after the 9/11 attacks.

George Bush was an awful President — a disaster on several levels. But he had a few moments when he acquitted himself well, especially after 9/11.

One of those moments was on September 17, 2001, when he met with a group of American Muslim leaders at the Islamic Center in Washington. After the meeting, he addressed the country.

That day, just a week after the horrific 9/11 attacks, in partly spontaneous remarks, Bush truly rose to the occasion.

Here’s what he said.

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Thank you all very much for your hospitality. We’ve just had a wide-ranging discussions on — on the matter at hand. Like the good folks standing with me, the American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesday’s attacks.

And so were Muslims all across the world. Both Americans and Muslim friends and citizens, tax-paying citizens, and Muslims in nations were just appalled and could not believe what — what we saw on our TV screens.

These acts of violence against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith. And it’s important for my fellow Americans to understand that.

The English translation is not as eloquent as the original Arabic, but let me quote from the Koran, itself: “In the long run, evil in the extreme will be the end of those who do evil. For that they rejected the signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule.”

The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That’s not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don’t represent peace. They represent evil and war.

When we think of Islam, we think of a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world. Billions of people find comfort and solace and peace. And that’s made brothers and sisters out of every race — out of every race.

America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country. Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads.

And they need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.

Women who cover their heads in this country must feel comfortable going outside their homes. Moms who wear cover must be not intimidated in America. That’s not the America I know. That’s not the America I value.

I’ve been told that some fear to leave; some don’t want to go shopping for their families; some don’t want to go about their ordinary daily routines because, by wearing cover, they’re afraid they’ll be intimidated. That should not and that will not stand in America.

Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out their anger don’t represent the best of America. They represent the worst of humankind, and they should be ashamed of that kind of behavior.

Now, this is a great country. It’s a great country because we share the same values of respect and dignity and human worth.

And it is my honor to be meeting with leaders who feel just the same way I do. They’re outraged. They’re sad. They love America just as much as I do.

I want to thank you all for giving me a chance to come by, and may God bless us all.

Thank you.

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Some have suggested that Bush should come forward again in 2015 and have another talk with his people.

Would it do any good? Of course not.

President Bush speaking at the Islamic Center, September 17, 2001.