|
|
|
Click here to keep up with Galen's Speaking Schedule
Looking for a back issue of Mullings? They're in the
Archives
Click here
to join the Mullings Movement!
A Healing of Heroes
Monday April 14, 2003
A collection of weasels is a "sneak." This is known as a collective noun, as in a "pride of lions."
In the United States, the Left calls the US tax code, "redistribution of income." In Iraq, the Left calls the redistribution of income, "looting." This is an example of a difference without a distinction.
This is what is happening now: The obvious reaction of the Iraqi population (New collective noun: An "exultation of Iraqis") is good news for the US, but bad news for the UN-sponsored Sneak of Weasels."
The United Nations and the French are working the news media in an attempt to put pressure on the US to allow them back into Iraq. The "humanitarian crisis" which has followed the disappearance of Iraqi government leaders (New collective noun: An "evaporation of dictators") is proof of THIS week's failure of the US-led effort in Iraq.
It pains me to say that the French might have a case. In a piece by reporter Mark Landler in the International Herald Tribune, the head of the National Society of Professional Engineers said, "he could envision a role for French companies in Iraq, particularly in the treatment of water and waste."
I was thinking exactly the same thing. (New collective noun: A "sludge of Frenchmen.")
The headline atop the Washington Post's front page yesterday was:
"Confused Start, Decisive End; Invasion Shaped by Miscues, Bold Risks, and Unexpected Successes."
The implications of the headline and sub-head are: Everything which went wrong was because of the failure of
The Plan which was proclaimed daily by CNN and a couple of retired Generals (New collective noun: A "tedium of Generals"); Everything which went right was because of blind luck.
The tease leading to the same piece on the Washington Post website yesterday was:
"How the War was Won."
More Washington Post; The headline just below the fold over a piece about the looting of the
National Museum of Antiquities read, "Our Heritage is Finished" which described the destruction of "irreplaceable treasures, including Sumerian clay pots (New collective noun: A "throw of pots"), Assyrian marble carvings, Babylonian statues and a massive stone tablet with intricate cuneiform writing."
Let's put this in some perspective:
A museum was looted(New collective noun: A "seizure of looters"). . A museum.
If the UN-sponsored Sneak of Weasels thinks this is primary evidence of a "humanitarian crisis,"
they should trundle over to the Louvre where, on its web page, collections of the following looted
antiquities are proudly listed:
Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Africa, Asia, Oceana, and the Americas.
Imagine the headlines if a dozen, or six, or even one US soldier had died in defense of a "Sumerian clay pot."
From USA Today:
"The ... crowd turned riotous, breaking the window of a bicycle shop, throwing bottles and other objects at police and lighting bonfires. Several officers suffered minor injuries when they were struck by thrown objects. Authorities made 15 arrests, with charges ranging from aggravated assault to disorderly conduct, an official said."
A report from Baghdad this weekend? Nope. A report from College Park, Maryland one year ago following the University of Maryland's victory in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. (New collective noun: A "leap of basketball players.")
Extra Length, but Worth It: On Friday, the President and the First Lady visited wounded military personnel at Walter Reed Army Hospital and at Bethesda Naval Hospital. As part of the visit two Marines - Master Gunnery Sergeant Guadalupe Denogean of Tucson, Arizona; and Lance Corporal OJ Santamaria of Daly City, California - took the oath to become US citizens. This, is how Ari Fleischer described it to reporters afterward:
Gunnery Sergeant Denogean took the oath. The President hugged him, called him, "my fellow American." His wife had her arm around the President as the oath was being administered, and she was sobbing throughout the whole service.
Then came time for the Lance Corporal to be sworn in. It really was moving. I mean, it was one of these scenes -- everybody was just caught up in it. Halfway through he just broke down. He had a very hard time getting through -- he was in a lot of pain. And for him to stand on his feet as a Marine, in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief -- and then the President saying, sit down; he wanted to stand. He had to complete the oath. And sobbing, he completed it.
He had no family with him, he was alone. His family could not come in for it.
Lance Corporal Santamaria is not alone. He now belongs to a family of 280 million members. (New collective noun: A "healing of heroes.")
On the Secret Decoder Ring page today:
The transcript of the "Gaggle" which is the name of Ari Fleischer's recounting of the President's visit to the
two hospitals. Well worth reading. Also, the best pun on a long time as the Catchy Caption of the Day as well
as links to the stories noted above.
--END --
Copyright © 2003 Richard A. Galen
Current Issue |
Secret Decoder
Ring | Past
Issues | Email
Rich | Rich
Who?
Copyright �2002 Richard
A. Galen | Site design by Campaign
Solutions. | |
|
� 
