<p>You know, I was appalled when Trent Lott said that Mississippi and the country would have been better off if Strom Thurmond had been elected president in 1948, but I thought it revealed his inner thoughts–as casual remarks often do. I am deeply concerned that Barbara Bush’s inner thoughts may have been revealed as well. Yes, she’s done some lovely things for the community–I’m all in favor of literacy campaigns–but her remarks were unfeeling and insensitive. To say that they’ve been taken out of context seems disingenuous when even the White House spokesman McLellan is making efforts to clean up what she said.</p>
should really be:
She, like her son, is an ignorant person, who doesn’t understand the plight and condition of others less fortunate than she is, or who differ from her.</p>
<p>It’s a poor sentence anyway. But then it’s not easy to rant and be grammatically correct at the same time.</p>
<p>The real way out of this messy sentence would be to say: “She’s an ignorant person who doesn’t understand the plight of those less fortunate or otherwise different than she is–as is her son.” But you’re right, Alice, editing ranters is somewhat like putting lipstick on a pig.</p>
<p>"xiggi-you might want to quote me correctly. My statement was “She, like her son, are…
As to your question “Who is the ignorant?”-I think YOU’ve answered it.”</p>
<p>ROFL! Indeed, the answer is beyond doubt! I TRIED to help you see your mistake by segregating the “,like her son,” Obviously, that was a lost cause.</p>
<p>Before attacking a lady of a very advanced age for an unfortunate lapsus linguae, you ought to attempt hiding a level of ignorance that would embarrass an eight grader.</p>
<p>Gee whiz you sure got me. Grammar is certainly the issue that is at hand here.
And if you self important souls think that there is any need or importance to insulting me personally, go right ahead. I realize you can’t tolerate any divergence of opinion. Your only resort is bullying and name calling. That is the present administration response to everything too. (any grammar mistakes here-I realize the importance-lol)</p>
<p>What, then is the issue–the fact that some very poor downtrodden people might actually have a second chance at a better life?? Surely that sucks. Better not talk about it. Just focus on the misery. It makes better headlines.</p>
<p>The remark was not surprising to anyone who read Kitty Kelly’s biography of the Bush family. I never thought I’d read anything KKelly wrote, but found it to be fascinating. I have great respect for Prescott Bush, some for former Pres. Bush, and very little for the current president. </p>
<p>The remark about Barbara putting her foot in her mouth is strange if you know that she’s lost part of her foot to surgery. (I can’t remember the cause, it might be the thyroid condition she has.) I used to respect her, too - thought she was very grandmotherly. This isn’t the first time she’s said what was on her mind.</p>
<p>barrons how old are you? 16? 17? Honestly, I’m really interested in the answer to this. </p>
<p>So you’re saying that what happened to these people is a blessing, because now they “get a chance at a better life”? Did it ever cross your little mind that many of them have lost loved ones and friends, and their lives will never be the same?</p>
<p>How dare anyone presume to know whether their lives were good before or not? Everything they knew and had may have been destroyed: their homes, their <em>JOBS</em> (yes, jobs, just think, some of them worked and were still poor), their children’s schools, their churches, their friends, their pets, all of the small things that they saved throughout their lives as mementos of the good or meaningful times. They might not have sought great wealth as a measure of their meaning as humans: they might have been satisfied or, dare I postulate, even happy with their lives before this disaster.</p>
<p>Dispersing an entire city’s worth of people across the country into foreign situations where they have no family, friends, jobs, churches, or anything familiar is a painful thing for them. Yes, they are now safe, generally speaking, from the dangers Katrina posed, and they are alive. I’m sure if you took a poll, they’d mostly admit thanks for that. But implying that since they did not have much materially before this disaster, having a cot and food and a change of clothing handed to them by the kind and thoughtful people of Texas-or-wherever was their new ticket to a happy life: that’s just a misguided presumption. </p>
<p>These people may have no city to return to. They need to be supported in the trauma of being torn away from their lives forever, regardless of what rich famous old ladies may think of their former lives.</p>
<p>(PS: Observe: someone who can actually rant gramatically.)</p>
<p>Once again, although it won’t change your opinion and is probably a waste of time - DMD & UMrunner, Barbara Bush is not “just” involved in promoting literacy, which is something that we should all be concerned about. She has donated millions of dollars through the Barbara Bush Foundation, not only throughout Houston, but to many parts of the country as well. She also works with the homeless, AIDS sufferers, the elderly, and school volunteer programs. She is on the board of many organizations and is heavily involved with the Leukemia Society, Ronald McDonald House, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. She hasn’t been sitting around eating Bon Bons, but at her age, I wouldn’t blame her if she did!</p>
<p>Oh, and UMrunner, I just finished serving lunches to many evacuees, and a number of them said that they are glad to be out of NO and that they are expecting and hoping for a better life. So maybe SOMETHING good will come out of this tragedy.</p>
<p>Good for you ag54. Thank you.
We are doing our teeny tiny part collecting donations and loading trucks, but you are in the heart of it. Wish I could be there.</p>
<p>ag54: you don’t understand. I’m saddened that a woman I have respected in the past–and I do respect her literacy work–could be so insensitive and unfeeling. Yes, people are looking forward to moving on, but that doesn’t make their losses any less real. BTW, I did not say that Barbara Bush was “just” working on literacy; I said that I was in favor of that work.</p>
<p>UMRunner, etc. I am 55 and have buried all my parents and grandparents. Anyone who thinks you get to 55 without some loss is crazy. I have had to start over financially after divorce, moved across country after my job disappeared and a few more minor hardships. I know that dwelling on loss never solved any problems and moving ahead always seemed to lead to better things than I expected. So yes, many of them will be entititled to mourn for the loss in their lives for a time but sooner or later you have to look to the future as it exists and move ahead. Otherwise you end up a real bitter old loser.</p>
<p>She likes her son; simply ignorant people (like) you don’t understand the plight and condition of others. Less fortunate than they are (those) who differ from them.</p>
<p>now that makes more sense! and quit pickin on Barbara!</p>