A Lot On My Mind

First, my apologies for my absence. Life, do-it-ourselves-projects-gone-awry and problems with Blogger have left me woefully short on time and the opportunity to post something new and insightful. At least, that's my excuse this time.

So today's post is going to be a lot of quick observations of things that have been on my mind. A hit-and-run post, if you will. Here goes:

Regarding the killing of Al-Zarqawi - GOOD! It's about time the good guys get a big, media-covered victory. Too bad, the media still isn't all that interested in covering it the way they are when a civilian is killed. Oh well...

Michael Berg, father of Nick Berg who was beheaded quite possibly by Al-Zarqawi himself, blames who else but President Bush for his son's violent death.

From Reuters: "I don't think that Zarqawi is himself responsible for the killings of hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq," Berg said in a combative television interview with the U.S. Fox News network. "I think George Bush is." He went on to say, "Yeah, like George Bush didn't OK the torture and death and rape of people in the Abu Ghraib prison for which my son was killed in retaliation?"

Continuing in the interview, Berg said that he could understand what Zarqawi's family was going through, since his son's beheading was broadcast via the internet and a picture of the face of a dead Zarqawi has been broadcast on the news.

There are so many things to say here, but I'll respond with just a few.

First, "hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq" have not died. Thousands, yes, not hundreds of thousands. Let's be accurate, Mr. Berg.

Second, President Bush is not responsible for deaths carried out by terrorists. This is kind of an obvious inaccuracy, especially since terrorists groups tend to claim responsibility for the violence and deaths they create.

Third, my guess is that President Bush did not give his permission to the men and women involved in the Abu Ghraib prison fiasco. Whatever happened in that prison is the responsibility of the men and women who acted inappropriately. There comes a point where individual accountability for actions has to come into play. News flash: President Bush is not to blame for anything and everything bad in the world. Period.

Finally, Mr. Berg, who is no doubt grieving, is nonetheless wrong. There is no comparison to be made between the broadcast of the violent beheading of an INNOCENT civilian and the swift military killing of a known violent terrorist. No comparison whatsoever. In fact, I would go so far as to say that there was probably at least one person in Zarqawi's family who breathed a sigh of relief along with the rest of the world and said good riddance. There is no need to mourn the death of violent and evil men. There is even less reason to compare the death of a good man to that of an evil man.

Lest you think that Michael Berg is the only public figure speaking this way, let me assure you, he's not. In fact, I predict that over the coming weeks, many others will join in. Jerry Springer, speaking on Air America (does anyone even listen to that?) already joined in. I'd post his comments, but just read the quotes from Michael Berg. They're pretty much identical. Blame Bush. There you have it.

And finally, I've been thinking about this for a while. I think it's time for a third party. Okay, so I'm no scholar, and I realize there are problems with a 3-party system, but I'm beginning to think that something has to change. I propose the Conservative party. (Or maybe we could call it the Common Sense party...either way.) It's symbol, an eagle. Basically the party would espouse those values upon which our country was founded. Oh, wait, I've just had a better thought for a name...the Constitution party. Read the Constitution. That's what we believe. I'd like to join that party.