OK .. I know I said I’d filled the political rant quota for the week, but I got this and had to share:
We would be better off if the president pursued
policies that prevent casualties — American and Iraqi —
instead of policies that prevent us from viewing the
images of them.
From a letter to the editor of the NY Times, forwarded to me by a friend of parents of the author, so I don’t feel guilty about reproducing it here.
Entire letter (it was short and to the point):
To the Editor:
In his press conference, President Bush remarked:
“Nobody likes to see dead people on their television
screens. I don’t. It’s a tough time for the American
people to see that. It’s gut-wrenching”
(transcript, April 14).To shield us, the Pentagon has enforced a policy
banning the media from showing coffins carrying the
remains of American service people.We would be better off if the president pursued
policies that prevent casualties — American and Iraqi —
instead of policies that prevent us from viewing the
images of them.ALEXANDER SHALOM
New York, April 14, 2004
I really would love to hear an explanation of Bush’s comment that “it’s a tough time … to see that.” Does that mean that he thinks there are times that it would not be tough to see? Maybe when he’s not running for re-election?