Just Not Getting It

Richard Cohen fluffs Bushco today in the WaPO in a piece called "Bush, Speaking Up Against Bigotry". He tries to present King George as wiser than those of us who oppose the Dubai Ports debacle because Bush is apparently not a xenophobe or a racist.

To overlook the xenophobic element in this controversy is to overlook the obvious. It is what propelled the squabble and what sustains it. Bush put his finger on it right away. "What I find interesting is that it's okay for a British company to manage some ports, but not okay for a company from a country that is a valuable ally in the war on terror," he said last week. "The UAE has been a valuable partner in fighting the war on terror." It is a long way from a terrorist haven.

Mr. Cohen attempts to bolster his argument by saying "After all, no one goes nuts over Germany, the country where some of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists lived and attended school".

Here's the point, short and sweet, because Mr. Cohen may not have much time between writing OpEd pieces and getting that salty taste out of his mouth: If Germany had been a transfer point for black market nuclear arms shipments or if the German government had been involved in the financing of the 9/11 hijackers, we would respond in similar fashion. Any country/company/group regardless of race/sex/religion/color/edict/etc. with these (dis)qualifications should not be allowed to control our ports.

And while I do not believe that King George is a racist, I do believe he allows the use of racial undertones to his advantage, thus making him complicit in racism. One prime example would be the false story about John McCain's "illegitimate black baby" in the 2000 corrupt Republican primaries. Additionally, the King and his court (including the Royal family) certainly seem to practice class warfare at a level never before seen. Hopefully after 2008, it will never again be seen.

In corrupt Republican speak "valuable ally" = "business interest". And Mr. Cohen - you called Karl Rove "storied"; did he include that word for you in the original copy?