A Dubious Dubya Dis-Honor
I’ve mainly steered clear of discussing anything political here but this one kind of tickles me. A measure seeking to commemorate President Bush's years in office by putting his name on a San Francisco sewage plant has qualified for the November ballot. The measure, which was certified last Thursday, would rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. Supporters say the idea is to commemorate the mess Bush will leave behind on January 20. Although I’m amused by this and agree with the reasoning, I am more inclined to back a more appropriate movement, to wit: never, ever name anything after Mr. Bush. Let him have his library--all presidents get them even though they all tend to whitewash personal reputations and completely acid-clean anything negative in their displays and, as far as I know, their archives.I remember a choice Gary Larsen “Far Side” cartoon that showed a smattering of people standing around the edge of a huge hole in the ground. A nearby sign said something like “The Richard Nixon Monument.” (Google fails me on the exactitude of this quote.) So this idea for a salute-to-Bush is not a new one but, although fun, it probably shouldn’t have gone as far as it has. Let Bush’s legacy be monumental silence and, anyway, I think the “Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant” has a certain attractive ring to it. As it now stands, according to their website, the OWPCP offers tours which “are available monthly, on one Saturday each month on a first-come-first-serve basis, for up to a maximum of 35 people--including adults and children at least 10 years of age. Please NO flip flops, sandals, clogs, open shoes, open toe shoes, shorts, short pants, or short skirts.” Oh my, it sounds like it's time to break out the hip boots. Sort of like watching our dear president break wind on YouTube.
posted by peebstuff | Wednesday, July 23, 2008
4 Comments:
You forgot to mention who put this on the ballot. It was the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco, whose board of directors includes drag star Peaches Christ and members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence who are notorious for their poor taste. Anyone that thinks otherwise is probably a tacky drag queen himself (I am in no way implying that all drag queens are tacky).
I love drag queens as much as the next guy; and my favorite drag persona is Babs Johnson, The Filthiest Person on Earth. However, I am not enlightened enough to be comfortable with the concept of shock drag queens having a say on how our presidents will be remembered.
This initiative will be the first step down a nasty slippery slope that will make this country look even sillier in the eyes of the world.
You know what John?...just leave the commenting unmonitored. Delete the comments you don't like after they've been posted and save those of us (mostly me) the trouble of decyphering those ridiculous word puzzles.
Gee whiz, darlin', it's not all that hard to figure out and you seem to have been able to do so without undue mishap. By monitoring comments I feel I've saved readers from graphic obsenities; personal attacks; stupid stuff that is beyond belief; and themselves. Although I don't want to annoy you (well, maybe a little) or make your life more complicated; I'm not here to make it any easier either. If you want to vent on MY blog instead of your own feel free to do so, just pay the damn price.
This exchange certainly tickled me. Urban Curmudgeon is a sobriquet fairly earned and proudly maintained. Watch out, whipper-snapper, don't be messing with the grump.
The Dubya Sewer initiative is an amusing concept and the folks at the Farmer's Market who were soliciting signatures were articulate, funny and altogether delightful. I think people were signing because they liked the solicitors so much! What I object to is the trivialization of the initiative concept. I think it's a good tool for voters to address issues but when it gets used for silly stuff, it undermines the process and turns off the electorate.
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