Mr. Kerry does the Honourable Thing

The commander in chief is still MIA by Mark Follman at The War Room of salon.com, Dec 3, 2004:

“At Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, former presidential candidate John Kerry attended the funeral of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dimitrios Gavriel, who was killed on Nov. 19 while fighting in Iraq’s Al Anbar province. Gavriel was a native of Kerry’s home state of Massachusetts.

The state of Texas has also seen its share of native sons killed in Iraq. To date, President Bush has not attended the funeral of any U.S. soldier who has died in the war.”

Meanwhile, Bush urges all Americans to support the soldiers and their military families: “The time of war is a time of sacrifice, especially for our military families,” Bush said, wearing a tan military jacket with epaulets. “I urge every American to find some way to thank our military and to help out the military family down the street.” […] “Words can only go so far in capturing the grief and sense of loss for the families of those who have died,” he said. “But you can know this: They gave their lives for a cause that is just. And as in other generations, their sacrifice will have spared millions from the lives of tyranny and sorrow.”

A just cause? Really? Um… which Just Cause would that be? Oh, yeah, “Freedom is on the march!” Yeah, riiiight… I forgot. (I’ve been pouring the Kool-Aid down the toilet, I must confess, it makes a colorful swirl in the bowl as it drains away.) But Freedom… hmmph… it isn’t for all Americans… especially soldiers and their families… is it?

Mr. Bush, you’ve already got your “God” on your side, remember? What stronger support could “we little people” possibly give to any Chosen group than what you’ve managed to muster up already? Let’s see, we can’t raise their taxes… you already crossed that one off the list. We’re already keeping them in the military beyond their enlistment contracts, so that’s out. We can’t take away their healthcare, underfund their schools, destroy Social Security, take away their pensions, jeopardize the food supply, make a mockery of the Bill of Rights… all of that’s already been done or is in the works. What’s left? I shudder to think what’s going to happen with the next Act or Law with “Help” in the title.

And thank you, Mr. Kerry, for courageously doing what Our Employee, the “war-time prezdent,” cannot bring himself to do.