The Preznit took a break from his perp rally yesterday to attend ceremonies at the Capitol Rotunda honoring the surviving members of the famed "Tuskegee Airmen". Many of you know the story. When the armed forces were still segregated during WWII the Army Air Corps was ordered by Roosevelt to form an all-african-american unit of flyers and their support. Over 1,000 fighter pilots were eventually trained at a base in Tuskegee, Alabama, and shipped off to Europe to fight the nazi's. The Tuskegee Airmen went on to have a record of amazing success in the war in Europe. Upon their return, of course, they were forgotten by white america and resumed their previous status as second-class citizens in civilian life.
Yesterday this unit was collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. In his remarks at the ceremony, Bush had this to say:
"Even the Nazis asked why African American men would fight for a country that treated them so unfairly," President Bush told the group of legendary black aviators, who received a Congressional Gold Medal — the most prestigious Congress has to offer.
Sometimes I wonder, how does the part of Bush's brain that controls his mouth co-exist with the remaining, very small portion that contains what he thinks? Why doesn't the whole thing just implode? Even the nazi's, indeed.
What does this man think, for example, when he is told that gays and lesbians are trying to serve in the military, are serving in the military, and are dying or being wounded in that service, all the while being forced to deny who they are? Why would they do that? Does it not occur to him that some future president will be repeating this, or a similar ceremony, and acknowledging the ignorance of a bygone era?
I guess not. I suppose that wisdom from whatever source gained is a good thing. Still, I wonder what other gems 'The Leader' has picked up from the experience of nazi Germany.