48. Thank you, #43.

(This post was intended for Monday, January 19, 2009.)

I generally don't like to discuss politics.

It's not that I don't like politics. I do...in fact, I love following politics. But I find that my views are in the clear minority amongst my peers here in LA (and in NYC). And though I enjoy and appreciate robust, thoughtful, and civil discussion, my few forays into political discourse have usually been greeted with a sort of knee-jerk reaction of dismissive condescension ("How can you be so stupid to support politician X or policy Y?") or insults, both of which only serve to preempt any meaningful and open-minded sharing of ideas and beliefs.*

I say all of that to preface the statement I'm about to make--a statement which I know full-well is shared by a infinitesimal minority of Americans--in hopes that you won't belittle me or think entirely less of me or my intellectual capacity for holding this belief.

(Deep breath...here goes nothing:)

I'm thankful for George W. Bush.

(Wow...that wasn't so bad, after all.)

Yes, he's been far from perfect; yes, his administration has made its share of mistakes; and yes, there's plenty of reason to differ about the prudence of some of his decisions. But on the whole, I think he's done an admirable job, one that I contend will be given a much fairer and favorable assessment as time passes.

Again, I know: it's a tremendously uncommon viewpoint--one that an even smaller number of people who actually hold it are likely to admit in public--but I know I'm not entirely alone in holding such an uncommon belief.

I appreciate his courage in these unexpectedly tumultuous and trying times; his willingness to make many difficult and unpopular decisions; his integrity and class in the face of rabid, relentless, and unprecedented character assassination (has anyone else in history been so frequently and unfairly compared to Hitler?); and his unsung work as a humanitarian. Considering he's the guy about whom it was once famously and glibly--and again, quite unfairly--said "doesn't care about black people," Bush has actually done more to alleviate suffering in Africa than any other American president.

(And if that's not quite enough for good ol 'Ye, Bush did appoint the first African American to be the country's top diplomat to the world, and then followed him up by appointing...the first female African American to the post. It's entirely possible that a President Obama may not have come about in 2009 if the country hadn't gotten used to Secretaries of State Powell and Rice these past eight years.)

I'm grateful for George W. Bush, and for his service to our nation. And it's my hope that others--who, while perhaps glad to see an end to his controversial administration--can take even just a moment to think charitably about the man.

Thank you, and God bless you, President Bush.



*This, of course, is not the case across the board; I have had numerous heated yet respectful discussions with one of my closest friends who views things from the opposite side of the political spectrum.