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Laura Bush’s Coming Out Party
The American Thinker ^ | May 12, 2005 | Selwyn Duke

Posted on 05/12/2005 8:18:19 AM PDT by Sarah

Laura Bush’s Coming Out Party May 12th, 2005

Sometimes news stories share a common thread that’s invisible to most, one that’s invisible because it’s common to most. Last week there were a few such stories in the news, stories about events whose motivating spirits were kindred ones. One involves the latest developments in the case of Lynndie England, the infamous leash-girl who was found complicit in the abuse of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib. Another involves a second hapless lass, Pvt. Deanna Allen, who was discharged from the army for getting down and dirty during a combat activity. That is, scantily clad in the mud, wrestling a fellow soldierette in front of a throng of salivating comrades-in-arms.

The common thread certainly has nothing to do with the stories’ treatment in the media. Why, according to the brain-cell-compromised media sharks, Abu Ghraib is in league with the rape of Nanking in the annals of wartime atrocities. In contrast, the wrestling fiasco is shrugged off by many as just so much frivolity. Yes, boys will be boys, girls will be girls and, hell’s bells, mud will be mud. To the libertines in the media, the most significant common thread is that both these stories provide them with the kind of titillating copy that makes their pablum just a tad less insipid.

The thread of which I speak, however, is that these stories reflect the licentiousness and depravity that have come to so characterize our culture. After all, contrary to the shrill accusations of many journalists, Abu Ghraib was much like being forced to listen to Hillary Clinton’s nails-on-a-blackboard version of passionate public speaking: not at all torture, but quite definitely abusive. Speaking of the folly of first ladies, this brings me to the third news story: Laura Bush’s prurient comedy routine at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

Among other things, the first lady called herself a “desperate housewife,” alluding to the popular TV show which has featured women who cheated on their husbands. She also said that her husband has learned a lot about ranching since the day he “tried to milk a horse . . . a male horse,” and quipped about going to Chippendales with Lynn Cheney.

I can see the rolling of eyes now. Okay, don’t misunderstand me, I don’t claim that Laura Bush’s words rise to the same level of egregiousness as the two young ladies’ deeds. No, there is definitely a hierarchy here, one that ranges from mere words uttered in jest to the degradation of willing participants to the degradation of unwilling ones. But make no mistake, it is a hierarchy whose elements are to be found in the same category. That is, that of sexual impropriety.

Now, I realize that my taking exception to the first lady’s remarks places me in a mocked minority. We’re prudes, you see; I’ve even heard that those in my camp have been dismissed as “lemon-sucking conservatives.” Yes, we need to get a life, evolve from our Neanderthal status and shed the shackles of Puritanism that, at some point in our repressed development, were slapped on our young minds. But I shoulder that ridicule with a smile and a grain of salt. For I know that it comes from the perspective of obsessed individuals who cannot understand, for the life of them, why these Church Lady types don’t share what they fail to recognize as their obsession.

Of course, they would say the same about us, that we are the obsessed ones. So, to lend this a little perspective I’m going to borrow [and update] an analogy from C.S. Lewis. Imagine a land wherein allusions to food permeated every aspect of society. There were music videos in which dancers wiggled steaks, chops and fried chicken in front of the audience. It was hard to find a comedy routine that didn’t contain gastronomic innuendo, and having characters in movies hungrily and animalistically wolf down scrumptious morsels had become an indispensable element of entertainment. Now, when analyzing this inordinate focus on food you would have to draw one of two conclusions: either there was a problem with starvation in the land, or, the citizenry was obsessed with eating.

Yes, Puritanism is one extreme and were we to embrace it, we could rightly be labeled as obsessed. But this fixation on sex is the other extreme and we are guilty of it, and this does make us obsessed. The flesh isn’t dirty, but neither is it a toy. And “If it’s funny, say it” is like saying, “If it feels good, do it.” Continually thinking about sex is like continually thinking about food: it is by definition “obsession.”

Of course, this is a difficult point to make because, you see, in an environment in which obsession carries the day the embrace of normalcy seems like obsession. Why, I even heard pundit Bill O’Reilly label people in my camp “extremists.” So, I would ask a couple of questions: would O’Reilly want to explain to his audience, in intricate detail, the meaning behind the “milking the male horse” joke? And, how many of us would be willing to explain same to our children? Enough said.

The fact of the matter is that all three of these events are emblematic of a gratuitously sexualized society, and one that has lost the concept of shame. Shame is the word, because there was a time when “Don’t shame the family” – delivered in a stern tone – was a ubiquitous admonition. It also had its corollaries, such as “Don’t shame the cause,” “Don’t shame the organization” and, most significantly here, “Don’t shame your country.”

Truth be known, if the last one had figured prominently in the minds of Lynndie England, Deanna Allen and, dare I say, Laura Bush, Al Jazeera and its ilk would have less political ammunition today. Moreover, if all those passé warnings had been borne in mind by the millions of us who have forgotten them, those who oppose us would have had less ammunition yesterday, too. Take note, Hollywood.

You see, every time we shame ourselves we vindicate some of the accusations of those bent on our destruction. The Muslim world accuses us of being decadent – the “Great Satan.” Well, it’s bad enough that we have a popular culture that generates noxious cultural effluent that disperses far and wide in the seas of the soul of man. It’s bad enough that we have a few military girls behaving badly, and a media that seizes upon their moral failings to sell papers and hurt political opponents. Now enters Laura Bush, Mrs. Family Values herself, auditioning for the position of poster-girl for libertine western morals. “The President’s wife says she goes to strip clubs”; “The President’s wife says she cheats on her husband,” the propagandists will say. Of course, they could simply tell the truth, which is that her comments were in jest. That would be damning enough.

“Who cares about what such miscreants have to say,” counter some? Do we discount the message because of the messenger, ask I? Nay, thinking all your enemies’ criticisms false is as foolish as thinking all your friends’ compliments true. It would be like believing your own press clippings.

Moreover, might doesn’t make right, not really. Rather, right makes might. Vice allures but virtue endures. With every display of vice we further relinquish the moral high ground, a strategic position from which spiritual battles are won and hearts changed.

And the spiritual battle really is the crux of the matter, the one in foreign lands and the one raging in the homeland. This is because we can vanquish our foes militarily and preserve ourselves – for a time. But if we want this preservation to be more than transitory, we’re going to have to win a spiritual war abroad. If we want to ensure that our civilization is worth preserving, we’re going to have to win the spiritual war at home.

So, should the Lynndie Englands and Deanna Allens of the world have known better? Maybe, but that’s a lot to ask from young people who have grown up under the influence of “Pop Tarts” like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. It’s a lot to ask when they’re weaned on the recessive-gene-brainchildren of popular culture terrorists. It’s especially a lot to ask when the first lady, the wife of their Commander-in-Chief, doesn’t know better. And Laura Bush certainly should. For that matter, we all should.

Selwyn Duke


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1coarsefirstlady; 1hagriddenpresident; 1horsediddle; 1naughtylaura; 1pickalittle; 2peckalitte; 3cheepcheepcheep; 4peckalot; 5pickalittlemore; bush; bushcomedycentral; bushtwinsmudwrestle; churchlady; culturaldecline; desperatenags; eatfiber; funny1stlady; jealous; lauragoldberg; nagitis; nags; oversensitive; professinalvictims; prurient; salacious; salaciouscrumb; takeachillpill; thehorsewhimperers; whatcanimoanbout2day; whinemoanwhinemoan; whoopibush
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To: yellowdoghunter

That post was an efficient 1000-word discussion.


41 posted on 05/12/2005 9:15:46 AM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
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To: SilentServiceCPOWife
"The reason Mrs. Bush's jokes were amusing is because we know very well that there is no truth to them."

BINGO!

Thank you for perfectly summing up the position of those who get it.

42 posted on 05/12/2005 9:15:50 AM PDT by Darkwolf (aka Darkwolf377 (lurker since'01, member since 4/'04)--stop clogging me with pings!)
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To: altura

No one sells phone cards with pictures of a T-bone steak on it.


43 posted on 05/12/2005 9:16:26 AM PDT by Sarah
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To: Darkwolf

She's not a cannibal either, should she joke about that?


44 posted on 05/12/2005 9:17:09 AM PDT by Sarah
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To: Sarah
This is AMERICA and it's 2005!! Laura Bush is a decent human being with plenty of depth and morals...We live in a great country with lots of good, decent people. Is is so bad to tell a few jokes...and by the way..jokes are meant to be taken with a grain of salt and laughed at, then just as quickly forgotten...Don't analyze everything to death..it's huge turn off!! Not to sound redundant..but get a freaking life!
45 posted on 05/12/2005 9:17:33 AM PDT by ladiesview61
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To: altura
Excuse me. That is a lie and an insult. I have beds to make; I need to go to Wal-Mart, but I abandoned it all just to annoy you!

Walmart needs the business and your husband or wife needs a clean house. Get to work.

46 posted on 05/12/2005 9:18:32 AM PDT by af_vet_1981
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To: Sarah

Now you're making me hungry.


47 posted on 05/12/2005 9:19:53 AM PDT by Frank L
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To: Fam4Bush

I just thought you'd enjoy it, (I'm used to getting flamed and rarely call for reinforcements.)
Good Day, Sarah


48 posted on 05/12/2005 9:19:57 AM PDT by Sarah
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To: Sarah

You mean it took you all this time to find an article that trashed Laura Bush?

Best critique for uptight malcontents, I suppose.


49 posted on 05/12/2005 9:21:19 AM PDT by Howlin (North Carolina, where beer kegs are registered and illegal aliens run free.)
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To: Darkwolf
Yes--it shows the liberal mindset at work in a supposedly conservative article: What Lynndie England did isn't her fault, her responsibility--it's society's fault! Suggestive jokes led to Abu Grabe!

Lewd and crude jokes, permissive behavior, lack of discipline, etc. What did Ms. England do that was so wrong ?

Oh, and I got the "if you don't like it, don't read it" message the first three times, no need to repeat it again. I find this whole thing fascinating -- not Mrs. Bush's comments but how it drives some on the right to dingbat positions like those held by the writer of this article.

Obviously you are fascinated by the subject and find you have more in common with the liberals and libertines in this area.

50 posted on 05/12/2005 9:21:55 AM PDT by af_vet_1981
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To: af_vet_1981; Sarah

I'm not trying to flame you or demean your beliefs in any way, I just have a question...

What do you want Laura Bush to do about it now?


51 posted on 05/12/2005 9:22:05 AM PDT by EllaMinnow
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To: AppyPappy

Yes, we are.

Some people just can't get enough type-time posting how perfect they are.


52 posted on 05/12/2005 9:22:24 AM PDT by Howlin (North Carolina, where beer kegs are registered and illegal aliens run free.)
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To: Sarah
I'd never heard the term lemon sucking conservatives until I read this article. Finally, a descriptive moniker for the ilk! Selwyn didn't mean to, but she finally put a name to the puckered face. LSC has certainly entered my vocabulary.
53 posted on 05/12/2005 9:22:34 AM PDT by Melas
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To: EllaMinnow
I'm not trying to flame you or demean your beliefs in any way, I just have a question... What do you want Laura Bush to do about it now?

I think the only safe course of action for her is not to speak publicly for awhile. Anything she says will detract from the President's and the conservatives' agenda.

54 posted on 05/12/2005 9:23:35 AM PDT by af_vet_1981
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To: yoe

After reading the article, I now believe the appropriate response from the First Lady would be to have the secret service hand deliver bags of lemons to certain columinists, commentators and pundits.


55 posted on 05/12/2005 9:23:59 AM PDT by Melas
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To: Howlin

ooh, don't get personal, I'm in a bad mood.
I really think that this article makes a good point, (reminds me of Michelle Malkin's "First Lady Almost Goes Wild" reasoned statement.)
I was dissapointed, and I think that she lost a bit of her halo.... bad judgement, whatever.
Hungry?


56 posted on 05/12/2005 9:24:07 AM PDT by Sarah
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To: af_vet_1981
I think the only safe course of action for her is not to speak publicly for awhile. Anything she says will detract from the President's and the conservatives' agenda.

Yeah, a wife should shutup and stay in the kitchen?

57 posted on 05/12/2005 9:26:26 AM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
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To: af_vet_1981

How're those lemons going down?


58 posted on 05/12/2005 9:27:27 AM PDT by Melas
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To: Sarah

Maybe to you; and I didn't agree with Michelle.

You all need to lighten up and find something important to trash.


59 posted on 05/12/2005 9:27:50 AM PDT by Howlin (North Carolina, where beer kegs are registered and illegal aliens run free.)
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To: EllaMinnow

what to do?
nothing, it's too late, I think. No big deal, first lady is not an elected post,(hello, Hillary).
She just proved that a class act that took DECADES to build up can be seriously destroyed with one stupid decision.
I'VE learned something from this, though, haven't you?
(ie: When in doubt, keep trap shut)


60 posted on 05/12/2005 9:28:00 AM PDT by Sarah
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