A simple question: Is the Bush that is running for re-election in 2004 the same Bush that was elected in 2000? There is an obvious difference between the “running” Bush and the “presiding” Bush, and the gap of ideology between the two is continuing to widen. Before 9/11, we had a president who was untested, but who had surrounded himself with names that were tried and dependable. Condoleeza Rice. Colin Powell. If he was unsure, then we could count on one of his advisors. But now… just look at him go.
He’s working on his own now. Sure, the advisors are there and still vocal, but Bush has steadilly gained confidence in the last two years and that growing pride is making him unafraid to reveal his nature. Even if you ignore his volatile international stance, his domestic agenda is becoming more intrusive everyday. His latest target is gay marriage. Admittedly, a touchy subject. One that politicians usually ignore. He’s never understood it, never made an issue of it, but now he’s using his position to actively oppose it. Marriage has always been an unavoidable point of intersection between church and state. While blessed by God (in Christian ceremony), marriage is also a civil ceremony that joins two people for the purposes of taxation, insurance, beneficiary and so on. And while the President may exercise his right as this country’s executive branch to oppose anything on civil or legal means, it is over-stepping to take umbrage against a state-sponsored institution on the basis of purely religious terms. He even invoked Christian doctrine while taking his stand. In a mis-mash of Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 3, he said:
“Yes, I am mindful that we’re all sinners,” the president said Wednesday when asked for his views on homosexuality. “And I caution those who may try to take the speck out of the neighbor’s eye when they’ve got a log in their own.”
Close. The actual verse is more like this: And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? And the saddest thing of all is that Bush only seems to recall the third verse from that Sunday School lesson of Matthew 7, and not the first verse…
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
And today, just a day after Bush’s declaration of opposition, isn’t it eerie that another powerful public figure is echoing his very stance? It’s not a prime minister or any other leader of a democratically-designed country. No. It’s the Pope, actually. But then… that’s not surprising. The Pope is a religious leader, one that lives according to a declared religious catechism. While our president, he is supposed to be the democratically-elected voice of the people, the head of a secular institution made up of agreed-upon laws. That is still true, isn’t it? Will it still be true tomorrow?
Typically, this is the time of year when I look forward anxiously to the autumn, looking for clearer skys and cooler days. But I fear we’re going to have to wait until the autumn after next to see any hope of relief… [more at MeFi]
