Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pakistan deletes 'pro-Bush' poem (from school textbook)
BBC News World Edition ^

Posted on 12/05/2005 8:37:20 PM PST by StarCMC

Pakistan deletes 'pro-Bush' poem
US President George W. Bush (L) and Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf
Mr Bush (left) is a key backer of President Musharraf
Pakistan's government is to remove a poem from a school textbook after it emerged the first letters of each line spelt out "President George W Bush".

The anonymous poem, called The Leader, appeared in a recent English-language course book for 16 year-olds.

Critics say it praises Mr Bush. Its rhyming couplets describe someone "solid as steel, strong in his faith".

Officials cannot explain how the poem entered the curriculum. Pupils are to ignore it ahead of a reprint next year.

Not deliberate'

The BBC's Zaffar Abbas in Islamabad says it is a bizarre episode which has left education officials short of explanations.

THE LEADER by anonymous
Patient and steady with all he must bear,
Ready to meet every challenge with care,
Easy in manner, yet solid as steel,
Strong in his faith, refreshingly real.
Isn't afraid to propose what is bold,
Doesn't conform to the usual mould,
Eyes that have foresight, for hindsight won't do,
Never backs down when he sees what is true,
Tells it all straight, and means it all too.
Going forward and knowing he's right,
Even when doubted for why he would fight,
Over and over he makes his case clear,
Reaching to touch the ones who won't hear.
Growing in strength he won't be unnerved,
Ever assuring he'll stand by his word.
Wanting the world to join his firm stand,
Bracing for war, but praying for peace,
Using his power so evil will cease,
So much a leader and worthy of trust,
Here stands a man who will do what he must.
 

At first they put the poem's appearance in the grade 11 textbook down to a coincidence.

Then on Monday they said it may have been downloaded from the internet by a textbook writer, and later approved for publication by the curriculum committee.

An education ministry spokesman argued that the poem was a good description of a true leader - which might explain how it got through the vetting process.

But the poem has prompted criticism in local media in Pakistan, where there is opposition to President Pervez Musharraf's support for the US-led "war on terror".

Some opposition members say the poem shows the government has gone over the top in its support for the US.

Pakistan's government has denied any deliberate attempt to promote the US president.

The education ministry said it would remove the poem from the textbook and discipline the person responsible for including it.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bushpoem; georgewbush; musharraf; pakistan; poem; poetry; proamerican; schoolbook; schoolbooks; textbook; textbooks
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-51 next last
Okie dokie.
1 posted on 12/05/2005 8:37:21 PM PST by StarCMC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 2LT Radix jr; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; 80 Square Miles; acad1228; AirForceMom; Alas Babylon!; ...

Interesting ping.


2 posted on 12/05/2005 8:38:03 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC

Sweet poem.


3 posted on 12/05/2005 8:40:20 PM PST by Killborn (Pres. Bush isn't Pres. Reagan. Then again, Pres. Regan isn't Pres. Washington. God bless them all.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC

I saw that the other day. It is very interesting.

Nice idea but very overt. I tend to believe that if there was a plant it was done by islamists to incite islamists


4 posted on 12/05/2005 8:41:34 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC

Just saved that Poem off.


5 posted on 12/05/2005 8:45:05 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC
'pro-Bush' poem



6 posted on 12/05/2005 8:50:36 PM PST by Gucho
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC
The MSM and al jazera don't have a total lock on the information war yet......
7 posted on 12/05/2005 9:02:19 PM PST by ScreamingFist ( The RKBA doesn't apply if I have a bigger gun than your bodyguard. NRA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC

By the way, I agree with everyword of the poem.
I just think that anyone who plays word games was Apt to see the overt message.

Perhaps it is honest praise, perhaps the "hidden message" was ment to incite Muslims against Mushareff.

Could you imagine the uproar if it was printed in OUR schoolbooks, let alone an Islamic schoolbook?


8 posted on 12/05/2005 9:04:19 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: mylife
I tend to believe that if there was a plant it was done by islamists to incite islamists

Interesting thought -- probably true!!

9 posted on 12/05/2005 9:09:01 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: mylife

LOL -- no kidding!!!


10 posted on 12/05/2005 9:09:37 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC

I hate to be over analytical but a child could decipher the poem.


11 posted on 12/05/2005 9:12:36 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC
Critics say it praises Mr Bush.

And who are these "critics"?

The usual suspects (terrorists, murderers and their sympathizers), no doubt.

12 posted on 12/05/2005 9:13:33 PM PST by Prime Choice (We are RepubliCANs, not RepubliCAN'Ts.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mylife

I have to say I think it's hilarious that it got thru. I wonder if the letters weren't highlighted and it was laid out differently if it would be more hidden....


13 posted on 12/05/2005 9:15:22 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: mylife

Like this....



Patient and steady
with all he must bear,
Ready to meet every
challenge with care,
Easy in manner,
yet solid as steel,
Strong in his faith,
refreshingly real.
Isn't afraid
to propose what is bold,
Doesn't conform
to the usual mould,
Eyes that have foresight,
for hindsight won't do,
Never backs down
when he sees what is true,
Tells it all straight,
and means it all too.
Going forward
and knowing he's right,
Even when doubted
for why he would fight,
Over and over
he makes his case clear,
Reaching to touch
the ones who won't hear.
Growing in strength
he won't be unnerved,
Ever assuring
he'll stand by his word.
Wanting the world
to join his firm stand,
Bracing for war,
but praying for peace,
Using his power
so evil will cease,
So much a leader
and worthy of trust,
Here stands a man
who will do what he must.


14 posted on 12/05/2005 9:17:03 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC

However one may support President Bush, praise poems about him should not be in kids' textbooks. It politicizes something that shouldn't be politicized. How would we feel if some dippy European country came out with a children's textbook including an acrostic titled "The Leader" spelling out "President Clinton"?


15 posted on 12/05/2005 9:18:13 PM PST by marsh_of_mists
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC
One never knows with propaganda

The original wasn't highlighted L0L

As I said, I love the Poem, but its very incendiary
Makes me say Hmmmmm....
16 posted on 12/05/2005 9:19:38 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC; bentfeather

Ahhh, That is a bit more covert. Is that the couplet format that they refered too?


17 posted on 12/05/2005 9:23:05 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC; bentfeather; Old Sarge

Reminiscent of Kipling isnt it?


18 posted on 12/05/2005 9:30:51 PM PST by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: marsh_of_mists

Wow. Ok. Well, my homeschool is pretty darn politicized. ;^)


19 posted on 12/05/2005 9:32:38 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: marsh_of_mists

Um, and, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they have. But they are such good little revisionists that I doubt you'd ever even notice!!


20 posted on 12/05/2005 9:33:40 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-51 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson