"Indifference" - Commentary by Tony Seton

Indifference

It’s curious that the Rovian propaganda machine has been so successful on the difficult issues but falls flat on its face on the easy ones. For instance, on Iraq, they bring it home every time they put The Bush Boy on an aircraft carrier under a "Mission Accomplished" sign and when he was handing out turkey to the troops on Thanksgiving. But then they put Donald Rumsfeld in front of the troops saying tough nuggies when they complain about a lack of equipment.

Personally, I think there’s something not quite right with the circuits in Rummy’s head. I mean, why on earth would he leave himself open to the obvious criticism by not signing the death letters to families of soldiers killed in Iraq? Why would he lie about the Pentagon not being able to get enough armor to semi-protect the troops on the ground when the companies that produce the stuff say they have plenty more capacity?

Getting away from Iraq, why didn’t they trot out Bush-Lite on the day the tsunami struck, mournfully abjuring the nature of Nature? He didn’t have to blame it on terrorism, just show the basic human compassion we all felt. They simply issued press releases. He would have scored points if he came out that day; instead he lost them by coming out three days later. And when he finally appeared and insisted that the United States wasn’t being stingy he underscored the fact that we were, a truth that was plain to the rest of the world.

I asked my pal and sage colleague Stephen if it was a problem of ignorance or arrogance. Neither, he responded; it is indifference. I think he nailed it. And it reminded me of a tragic quote of Edward Yashinsky, who survived a Nazi concentration camp only to die in a Communist prison. Said the Polish poet, "Fear not your enemies for they can only kill you; fear not your friends for they can only betray you. Fear only the indifferent who permit killers and betrayers to walk safely on the Earth."

Looking at the President’s declining approval rating, and the lack of support for the IraqAttaq, one is drawn to the conclusion that the veil of lies is transforming into a mirror. When the American public comes to grips with the deceit -- with their self-deception -- we will be in for some torturous soul searching.

And that’s SetonnoteS...I’m Tony Seton.