I got an email yesterday from a colleague of my husband... who is a lawyer in New York, and quite politically conservative. In fact, I'd have to say that we're about on opposite ends of the spectrum ... although I do think I'm more reasonable than he is, but that's just me.
Anyway, he sent me this link to an article in the Washington Times. I don't know, but I think this is a pretty conservative "paper" ... is it even a real paper? So I looked it up... hmmm, it was started by The Rev. Sun Myung Moon. I remember him! This will probably not turn into one of my trusted sites ... but I gave the article a look anyway.
Turns out it is a discussion about an elderly couple in Texas who were busted by Homeland Security for ... growing orchids. And the man, George Norris, actually served two years in jail for not having proper documentation... for his orchids.
"The outrage. The nerve. How dare they?" These are the kinds of allegations leveled at the Obama Administration through this articles journey around the Internet. "Look at what Obama is doing" that's how the email found it's way to me.
If, however, you actually read the article you find that this arrest and imprisonment took place in 2004. Yeah. 2004. Right smack in the middle of the Administration of George W. Bush. And Dick Cheney.
I continue to be amazed at the irony and the lack of appreciation of said irony in the use of Bush-era tactics and procedures to attack Obama. I mean, there are plenty of things Obama is (not) doing that I can argue with -- FISA, Executive Privilege, Health Care.
I have no interest in hero-worship or some fantasy of perfection in our current President. But I do find it kind of funny (not ha-ha) that the twisted logic of some of these Conservatives I know, seems kind of sinister in that they play right to the ignorance and gullibility of their fellows.
Probably ought to file this in "Whatever" ... but the idea that Homeland Security was (or is?) out there doing this crap is ominous, and creepy. So I think I'll file it under Cheney.
Surely ACORN was involved somewhere in Orchid-gate. Those people have their tentacles everywhere.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Washington times is a conservative tabloid rag, the Capitol version of teh New York Post or Boston Herald. (One can only assume they also have similarly, surprisingly solid sports coverage.) Team red has gone a bit around the bend lately, it seems, but the Wash Times has been kinda nutty for years.