Civility, 2007-Style: Hanging George Bush
7:51 am | Attention Deficit Democracy | Bovard | Bush | Iraq
Some people who are outraged by anti-Obama placards have forgotten that, only a few years ago, many people were condemning George Bush in terms as harsh or harsher.
Here is a picture I took at an antiwar rally in Washington in January 2007. The sign - “What’s good for the goose….. gandar” - refers to the recent hanging of Saddam Hussein had been hung after a kangaroo trial. (Saddam was guilty as hell of many things, but the trial process was a disgrace to the United States and to Iraq). The Bush administration was in such a sweat to use the Saddam trial to influence the US congressional midterm elections that the Iraqi government announced Hussein’s sentence - death by hanging - even before they had officially released the sentence (which was not released until after the US election).
The artist’s representation of George Bush could have been better, but so could the photograph itself. Some people may have been offended by the title I added to the photo: “Bush Swings by Congress.” (The full size version of the photograph is available at my Flickr site here).a>
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Dirk W. Sabin
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 8:03 am
You should write headlines for the N.Y. Post who had the fine sense of irony to scream, over a picture of Rove and GW :”Bush’s Brain is Leaking”….when it was disclosed that Rove was stovepiping in his usual manner.
But , as to this image, I am aghast and offended by the underwearism of the vicious attack, it plays on our worst fears by hinting that Texans wear Tighty Whiteys with their boots. Fruits of the Loom indeed.
I protest!
Jim
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 8:07 am
I have forwarded your comment to Bush’s personal liasons at both Jockey and Hanes headquarters.
W Baker
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 9:26 am
Jim,
I disagree re: the artist’s representation. I think the muscle definition is a pretty good representation of a middle-aged, former Andover male cheerleader. And the g-string and colorful cowboy boots certainly reinforce this theme!
Jim
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 9:49 am
Wes, you and Dirk are going to have to duke it out over whether Bush had on Tighty Whiteys or a g-string.
I would guess - since the artist bent over backwards to make this a dignified presentation - that it would be BVDs- perhaps with the top covered by the chains.
Dirk W. Sabin
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 10:39 am
…a G STRING!…yee gawds….at long last sirs, have you no shame? If it is a G String, I hope at the very least that it is Lizard Skin with a soft rabbit fur lining. Then again, when you squint yer eyes, it does kind of remind me of that old Burlesque Queen Hedda Lettuce.
Jim
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 2:49 pm
I also posted this at Antiwar.com, where it generated the following indignant comment from Heathcliff Maw:
Bush was rightfully condemned for starting a war of aggression and assorted other crimes. Obama can be rightfully condemned for continuing many of Bush’s abusive and stupid policies. It’s quite another thing for angry morons to be worked into hysteria over things that are completely imaginary and products of race baiting. (”Obama has a deep-seated hatred of white people.”) For you to gloss over that ugly element is irresponsible.
Look at the placards in the photograph above. “Peace now.” Is that offensive? Saddam Hussein was hanged by Bush for crimes against the Iraqi people. You don’t get the point of the effigy figure?
There is no equivalence and it angers and disappoints me that you are appeasing irrational persecution complexes.
****
I reckon this dude is angry at my lack of anger over… something or other.
Tom Blanton
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 10:21 pm
I was always under the impression that Bush had a deep-seated hatred of white people. I’m beginning to think that Obama hates black people and white people, making him a self-hating black and white man.
Personally, I find all these ugly drawings of Bush and Obama extremely offensive, but not nearly as offensive as actual photographs of these men.
The only way I know of to nip all of these offensive things in the bud is to abolish the federal government. It would save a lot of money and we would all be better off.
Jim
Comment on Thursday 17th September 2009 @ 10:43 pm
Plus, it would be good for the environment, because people wouldn’t be making so many damn placards.
Chris Mallory
Comment on Saturday 19th September 2009 @ 5:52 pm
How long would it take the Justice Department’s Hate Crimes unit to swing into action if someone “lynched” a likeness of Obama in the same manner?
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