Why Is GW Still Unclear About Nuclear (and other words of mass dyslexion)?

In his latest televised speech, George W. Bush, as is his custom, once again demonstrated his inability to read prepared text. He stumbled over the pronunciation of the name of the Iraqi prison, Abu Ghraib. Now, this would be an understandable slip for most of us, and even for the President of the United States, were it not for the fact that the name has been spoken (in an anglicized form yet) thousands of times over the past few weeks by everyone in the news media and, no doubt repeated to him by all of his trusted advisors and speechwriters. The term “Abu Ghraib” is not just another foreign name of another foreign building but a name that will forever live in infamy, so it makes one wonder how Mr. Bush can be so oblivious as to so torture its pronunciation. But weakness with language, and political incorrectness, are not reasons enough to doubt the leadership capabilities of any man.

It has been a worry of many since the day Bush took office that he may not be mindful enough (smart enough) to be president of the Crawford, Texas Golf Club, let alone to be THE President. But I remind everyone who feels that way to remember Ronald Reagan. Sure he was a bit daft – even before the Alzheimer’s set in – and sure he ran the country into the ground, but at least he ran it – or acted like he did -- and in so doing, proved brains were not a requirement for the office (which, obviously, inspired the Bush Clan to not give up hope). I always wondered what it was about Reagan that made him so popular, and I finally realized that it was because he had an IQ of 100 -- the Median IQ – which means that exactly half the population was smarter than him and half were dumber. This mediocrity, along with his natural “aw shucks” charm, enabled him to bridge the gulf between the intellectual “haves” and “have nots”, and win broad support. Surprisingly, few Reaganites ever contested my IQ assertion, perhaps because I was giving their man more credit than he was due.

I believe George W. Bush is in Reagan’s league, intellectually speaking, and he should not be doubted, mistrusted, despised, disputed, disparaged, or opposed for re-election, simply because he may not be very smart. Nor, should we argue that his “Bushlexia” is indicative of complete mindlessness. Conceivably, the decisions Mr. Bush makes are actually “thoughtful”. Who among us could ever prove they are not? From tax cuts for the rich to claims of WMD in Iraq, it is possible that someday George Bush will be proven right, and although we may disagree with his decisions it is not fair or particularly rational for any of us to claim that his decisions are ignorant. However, there is one very obvious thing about George W. Bush that points to a deep-rooted pathology and a scarily innate irresponsibility -- which no President should possess.

So George Bush bumbles many words. So what? Maybe he truly is dyslexic, maybe he has some other reading disability, or maybe he just has an aversion to public speaking. As stated earlier, this alone is not a disqualification for president. But throughout his public life, on what some might wish to believe is just another trivial pronunciation issue, George W. Bush has gone against the concerted efforts of all his teachers, professors, his own parents, the news media, everyone in his administration, and the entire English speaking world. It is one thing to mispronounce the name of an Iraqi prison but it is quite another to actively remain ignorant of your own language. As of this writing, Mr. Bush continually, defiantly, and unabashedly pronounces the word “nuclear” as “nucular”. Why?

What can be the reason for any adult human being, especially one holding public office, especially after years of national embarrassment and international ridicule, to continue to misspeak? If it is dyslexia, why doesn’t he pronounce it as “unclear” or, more in keeping with his character, as “raelcun”? Is he purposely refusing to change? If so, why? Is he actually oblivious to his error? If so, how? What mechanism is operating (or not) in George W. Bush’s brain that enables him to ignore this obvious malapropism and not attempt to correct it? It is not total insanity for Bush to still insist that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and to hold out hope (no matter how remote the possibility) that the weapons will be found someday and that he will be vindicated -- but where is there hope (or sanity) in this “nucular” folly? Does GW think there is some ancient dictionary yet to be unearthed in which it will be shown that the original correct pronunciation of the word is “nucular”?

No. He doesn’t hold out any such hope, and he can’t even turn to his Bible for authority on this matter. He is defenseless. His inability to “give up the ghost” and simply start saying the word correctly (and maybe bear a little ribbing about it), proves that there is a deep-rooted, probably unconscious, paralyzing Fear in this man. It is the Fear of Failure, and it so profound that he is incapable of recognizing his error, let alone admitting it and correcting it.

This fear manifests itself in a pigheadedness that his supporters tout as decisiveness and conviction – two worthy attributes to be sure -- but in Bush this is simply an example of intransigence, not integrity. Also, Bush’s renowned “loyalty” is not rooted in an abiding trust of his cronies, as they wish us to believe, but rather in his fear that firing or disciplining them would affirm that he made a mistake hiring and trusting them in the first place. To be a good leader, or to qualify as a mature individual, requires that one be able to learn from mistakes. Of course, this requires that one be able to recognize that a mistake was made -- or at least that one can make a mistake. George W. Bush is not capable of either of these admissions, and the result is that, as he has been awarded ever increasing status and power in his life (without, by the way, the least bit of effort or talent on his part), he has developed a psychosis. There is a pathological element in George W. Bush’s worldview that is much more dangerous than the Arrogance of Privilege that usually typifies the ruling elite --- Bush struts with an Arrogance of Ignorance. He has a messianic complex and genuinely believes he can do no wrong. In fact, he believes he is chosen by god and is doing “His Will” -- and has said so publicly.

Personally, as a godless pacifistic anarchistic socialist, I am not fond of the values and politics of either the Republicans or Democrats. They all toe the militarist/capitalist line. I recognize, despite my belief in unilateral disarmament and the dismantling of the military, that most people live in fear, and that they want an army to help them feel secure. Likewise, despite my belief that everyone born on this planet has a right to an equal share of its resources, I recognize that most Americans have been taught to believe that some people (especially themselves) deserve more than others. So I acknowledge that my worldview is at odds with 99.9% of people and it will be a long while before that changes. I also acknowledge that, at this point in history, the only practical political choice we Americans have is between the two major parties, and that there is so little difference between them that the choice isn’t really a choice at all. However, although there might not be much real difference between a John Kerry and, say, a John McCain – there is a huge difference between virtually all imaginable major party candidates and George W. Bush.

Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush the Wiser, were all sleazeball, capitalistic, hegemonic, corporate lackeys -- but at least they had a sense of shame and embarrassment (enough, at least, to try to hide their ill deeds). Even Nixon, in his most cabalistic days, knew he was screwing people. Reagan, for all his ignorance and dementia, at least knew and remembered his own upbringing, and knew he was a shill for the rich. Bush Sr. knew full well that he was part of a grand, decades-long scheme to consolidate corporate power. There was, in these three giants of corruption, at least an “honor among thieves”. If nothing else, you could tell when they were lying, because they knew they were lying (or in Reagan’s case, you knew when he knew he didn’t know what he was talking about). George the Lesser is far worse and scarier than all past presidents because there is no honor in him at all. Unlike his father, he cannot be caught in a lie because he truly believes he is right -- even while remaining essentially ignorant of the big scheme that his father groomed him to oversee. I believe that even George Sr. is afraid of the monster he hath wrought.

Despite his vile potency George W. Bush is a victim. All his, foibles and false bravado attest to that. But although we can pity him, if we do not remove him from office, we will all become his victims. Like the schoolyard bully, George’s bluster is the result of an overbearing, if not outright abusive, father. George senior was cold, calculating, ambitious, and also the victim of ambitious paternalism. Imagine how it was for young George W., the heir apparent to the Bush Dynasty, when his parents began to realize that he was a dimwit? What pressures must he have faced? What types of daily ego deflating lectures did he endure? What level of self-esteem did he have, if any? And most importantly, what kind of lying, conniving, Eddie Haskell-type character did he become to protect himself and hide his feelings of worthlessness and inferiority? The answer is; he became the wise-guy jock, the frat boy, the first to haze and tease his peers, the spoiled rich kid bully, the kid who always blamed others, the kid who never could admit a mistake, the kid who hid behind his father’s money and power while also directly rebelling against his expectations. He became a party animal, he embarrassed his parents, and he got back at them in the most subtle, subconscious way that he could; he failed in school, he never learned to read or write and, in his coup de grace, he refused to learn to pronounce the most important word of the 20^th century – NUCLEAR.

Today this impetuous manchild is President of the United States, and he has his finger on the “nucular” button. With the support of a cadre of equally deluded, insecure, middle-aged adolescents, he is blackmailing and bullying the world. Let us end King George II’s Reign of Error now.

Vote for John Kerry in November.