Last night, I stomached a few moments of Bush’s speech, coming on the heels of the brilliant words of Mr. Olbermann.
As I listened to him speak, I was struck by how easily one paragraph of his text could be re-interpreted by changing only a few key words.
Join me on the flip for more…
How about a quick compare and contrast?
What Bush said:
Since the horror of 9/11, we’ve learned a great deal about the enemy. We have learned that they are evil and kill without mercy — but not without purpose. We have learned that they form a global network of extremists who are driven by a perverted vision of Islam — a totalitarian ideology that hates freedom, rejects tolerance, and despises all dissent. And we have learned that their goal is to build a radical Islamic empire where women are prisoners in their homes, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings, and terrorists have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on America and other civilized nations. The war against this enemy is more than a military conflict. It is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century, and the calling of our generation.
Now, change a few key words, and his speech takes on a whole new meaning — a much more accurate meaning…
Since the horror of 9/11, we’ve learned a great deal about OUR GOVERNMENT. We have learned that they are evil and kill without mercy — but not without purpose. We have learned that they form a global network of extremists who are driven by a perverted vision of CHRISTIANITY — a totalitarian ideology that hates freedom, rejects tolerance, and despises all dissent. And we have learned that their goal is to build a radical CHRISTIAN empire where women are prisoners in their BODIES, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings, and WARMONGERS have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on IRAQ and other civilized nations. The war against this enemy is more than a military conflict. It is the decisive ideological struggle of the 21st century, and the calling of our generation.
Indeed…
