It has become fashionable to criticize the work done by the Bush administration. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Being able to criticize one's government is the essence of true democracy. However, this freedom should not be used to make outrageous hyperbolic comparisons to historical governments that undermine both administrations. Although the Bush administration has its flaws and glaring, overt and blatantly obvious errors, our government has not even come close to committing some of the atrocities of past governments. Our government, though certainly not the greatest, is not the worst, and this should be taken into consideration before wild comparisons are strewn about. Granted, the current government has shortcomings, but life in the United States is infinitely better than living under, say, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge establishment or the rule of King George III. At least we're not paying a stamp tax.
It is almost defamation to our nation when a comparison brings into correlation the state of our union and the horrific crimes committed by history's great dictators. Generally it is tolerable, but when comparisons are made between the Bush administration and Star Wars' Galactic Empire, that is where the line must be drawn.
Although several elements initially make this comparison seem semi-valid it is unwarranted. Even though the similarities between Dick Cheney and Grand Moff Tarkin are scarily uncanny, we must remember Tarkin is willing to kill millions of people to make a point, whereas Cheney has only shot one. The Bush administration may be rude, inconsiderate and apathetic, but it is not (entirely) evil. For one thing, entire planets have not been obliterated during the Bush administration. Well, unless you count Pluto, but it wasn't so much blown into smithereens as it was democratically voted out. But other than that, the administration has not vaporized a planet and wiped out an entire race of people with a giant death ray ... yet. It has not confirmed or denied that such a project is in the works.
Another thing that separates these two entities ideologically is how they name things. The Galactic Empire is unabashedly evil when it comes to names. Honestly, it takes balls to name a space station the size of a small moon the Death Star. How immoral does your government have to be when it names its new base of operations the DEATH Star? It wasn't even trying to hide its purpose. If the Bush administration had the resources and technology to build something similar, it probably would, but what it would not do is actually name it the Death Star. It would cover it up and give it a name that doesn't really mean anything yet evokes a sense of confidence, like the Orbital Security Station or the Center for the Research of Planetary Eradication. And it would definitely sell freedom fries in the commissary. Likewise, if the Galactic Empire would have created the Department of Homeland Security, it would have simply called it the Stormtrooper Murder Squad. It works both ways.
As Americans, we need to be aware that even though our government may not be the greatest and has an approval rate of only 25 percent, and President George Bush's baffling media absence for the past three months eerily coincides with Emperor Papaltine's unexplained absence from Episode IV, things could be much worse - we could have Jar Jar Binks in the Senate.
Write to Paul at pjmetz@bsu.edu
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
