Bushing Ourselves To Be Better

I heard President Bush and his wife Laura speak today at SMU in an event that was likely a mini-promotion for the George Bush Presidential Center. The Bushes were recipients of a medal that the SMU Tower Center for political studies gives in conjunction with the Tate Lecture Series in conjunction with the SMU feral cats program* and the Lactose-Intolerant Students Association and he other seventeen organizations mentioned which made the introduction to this ceremony a very long event.

Now, here is just some general background on me.  If ever asked on a survey "how do you feel about George W. Bush and his presidential legacy?" and given the choices Satisfied or Not Satisfied, here is what I would do:

1. I would travel briskly at 4 miles over the speed limit to the nearest Office Depot.
2. Buy a three pack of # 2 pencils just to have back ups in case of breakage.
3. I would very carefully and fully fill in the Not Satisfied bubble.  

That having been said, I am able to separate the office of President of the United States (or POTUS if you are an incurably nerdy law student or brown nose-y political hopeful) from the human being who currently occupies that office. I also believe that some respects owed to of the office should be bestowed upon the human being that occupies the office.  And because of the respect I believe is due, I will refrain from saying any more.

Now that we have my political history down, I hope you will appreciate what I am about to say.  George W. Bush was a pleasant speaker.  Notice that I said pleasant and not mind-blowing or game changing or world-rocking. (Ed. Note: Mom and Dad: Please. Calm. Down!  I'm not exactly investing in an Ann Coulter poster for my bedroom or getting a tattoo of an elephant on my upper left buttock.  Try breathing into a paper bag, I hear that helps.  Sheesh.)

Anyway, as I was saying, I enjoyed the speech.  The honor bestowed by SMU upon the Bushes was the medal of freedom** and so the former President spoke about several things he thinks threaten freedom today.  The one that hit home with me the most was international isolationism, or thinking that problems happening outside of our homes, zip codes, states, or countries are distinctly outside of our concern zone.

I worry often about this exact problem.  I worry that I will become so wrapped up in job searching or the vines taking over my back fence that I will forget that there are another six billion people on this earth with rich cultures and complex problems.  I worry about it when I hear friends talk about illegal immigrants in a way that makes me think they have forgotten these people are people.  I worry about Americans in general thinking that we stand apart from the rest of the world when we really don't.  I think we are incredibly important internationally (unintentional alliteration) but in the same way our brain it cannot function by itself even though is the most important organ in the body, we as Americans can't function completely removed from the perspective of the entire world.

Anyway, I could really go on about this for hours but I'll stop.  I have previously written about the idea of basic human rights but this is my blog so I can repeat things as many times as I want to.  (By the way, have you checked out That is Priceless?)

Isolating ourselves from what is different,
Inoculating ourselves against a possible viral interest in others,
Ignoring outsiders and their issues,
To create a perfect Eden of ignorance.

* This is a real program.  Ridiculous!  Though I don't think they actually sponsored the talk.
** Medal of Freedom = Most generic medal name ever.  If it was a cereal it would be called Frosted Oaties or Yummy Os.  If it were a retail store it would be called Smith's.  If it were a street in Atlanta it would be called Peachtree.