Welcome to President Bush’s fairytale. You have a choice of compliance or death. Which would you democratically choose?Our emperor has called for the nation to stay its course. “Look, nobody likes to see dead people on their television screens,” he said. Fortunately, he has a plan. His plan, however, is beyond comprehension. Only the smartest can understand his plan. Thankfully his administration is filled with such people. The rest of us? Mere commoners, unworthy of knowledge. But wait, what is this? A little kid saying something? What is he saying?Emperor Bush does not really have a plan? Shocking.So, off to the woods we go. Shall we dally in Afghanistan and pick some flowers? Okay. Along the way, should we tell Muslim extremists our plans? Who could possibly be hurt with that information? Ah, finally we arrived at Iraq. Here, dear Iraq, have some milk and cookies from the land of the free. My, Iraq, what big teeth you have. Help. Where is the big lumberjack that will save us?He is nowhere to be found.It is all going according to plan, of course. Bush had been sitting on his hill watching his people doing well. But he was bored. He needed excitement, so he decided to cause a commotion. Bush went into Iraq crying, “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” Bush left Iraq crying “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” But when he calls it again, no coalition will come to his aid. He will cry and cry, but no aid will come.This is the horror we must comprehend – Bush may live in a world of his own, but his actions endanger our very real one. And frankly, I am scared. On Tuesday he called for Americans to be prepared to do what it takes to win in Iraq. He has basically given a blank check to General Richard Abizaid to take in as many troops as he wants. Recently, Senator Edward Kennedy spoke of the similarities of Vietnam and Iraq. If we continue on this rhetoric of staying the course, this fear will become reality.Bush still wishes to hand back sovereignty on June 30. But can we really? The coalition of the willing is really one of wanting. Sovereignty is not a tangible object. You can not package it in a gift box and ship it by UPS. Instead, there needs to be a demonstration of actual control. There needs to be a government with an ability to do something. There needs to be something there that does not currently exist.As our president said, “The violence we have seen is a power grab by these extreme and ruthless elements.” And yet, our response has one of reciprocity. Hardly surprising considering Bush’s gung-ho attitude towards violence. Yet, every child in America has learned the phrase, “Just because they did something wrong to you does not make it right for you to do it to them.” Bush has asked, “Is our children learning?” Maybe he should have asked, “Is I learned?”Obviously fighting is not working. Throwing troops into the situation is just wasteful. Many Americans have begun to see this viewpoint and opinions have been shifting. And still Bush lives in his fairytale world. Maybe a direct statement will help.Dear President George W. Bush, fighting is not working. Grow up, wake up and try another tactic. Diplomacy was invented to prevent war. Bush invented preemption to prevent diplomacy. Thankfully, democracy was invented to smack presidents back into the real world. Use your right to do the smacking this November.He can be reached at mhe@campustimes.org.
senior day
Women’s volleyball victorious on Senior Day
UR’s Women’s Volleyball won both of their matches versus DeSales University and SUNY Morrisville on Saturday at the Palestra.
nails
Meet an on-campus nail technician: nanaxnailz
Nails have long been a part of sophomore Naomi Gutierrez’s life. She grew up seeing her mother with her nails always done, and Gutierrez even had a nail-themed birthday party for her seventh birthday.
Album Review
Car Seat Headrest 10 Year Review: “How to Leave Town”
Going back and relistening to “How to Leave Town” proves the wide-ranging sound they have and how well their concepts come to fruition.