No Laughing Matter: Not every soldiers’ homecoming is a Bush/Cheney photo op. (image via The Memory Hole)
“This year, nine inaugural balls are scheduled, including the Commander-in-Chief Ball, a soiree hosting troops who are heading to—or who have returned from—Iraq or Afghanistan,” CNN, Jan. 17, 2005.
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Related: “The acknowledgement of misgivings—Mr Bush hesitated to use the word ‘regret’ —was a departure for a leader who repeatedly has refused to admit to any mistakes while in office,” ‘I wish I hadn’t said that’: Bush admits self-doubt, Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian Unlimited, Jan. 15, 2005.
3 replies on “RSVP: ‘Regret’”
As a soldier, I would like to say that I would never attend that ball. The only force that could get me to a ball of that magnitude while my comrades in arms are risking their lives, and doing it with less armor than the full amount our country is able to afford, would be the same force that will make me go to Iraq: a direct order. Most soldiers I have talked to who have come from Iraq already say that they feel a certain sense of guilt whenever they think about the sacrifices that other soldiers are making overseas while they are at home. As a soldier who hasn’t gone yet, but will soon, I have a similar feeling. Of course, mine also includes the fact that I completely disagree with the war itself. What I’m trying to say is that as a member of the military I have learned a certain sense of sacrifice that make an event like that bitter-sweet for me at best. I suppose that maybe the President missed out on that while he was AWOL from the Air National Guard.
I’d like to say that as a woman with good taste I would never attend that ball, mainly because cowboy boots and white gloves are required (I know because my friend is dating a high level donor and was invited)
Think about all these big pasty men and women wearing cowboy boots with tuxes and satin gowns. FOR SHAME AMERICA
Just think…every complainer is just PO’d that their selection appealed to a minority of voters. They can, however, console themselves with the standard elitist view that they know better and that 51% of the voters are less intelligent than they are. As well as the fact that Kerry got both more votes and a higher percentage of votes than Clinton did in either of his elections. Things should be looking up!