Bush Hatred

Since I consider myself within the category of those who "hate" Bush (I may argue over whether my anger and livid feelings equate to hatred, I will accept that it is), I read with interest Peter Berkowitz's column about Bush Hatred.

The bottom line of his detailed column is that hatred does not serve a rational purpose in attempting to weave through policy decisions and political actions.

In principle, I do concur with the premise that hatred tends to become a problem in itself when dealing with any issue. It tends to shortchange the details of the facts and colors the dynamics between participants of any discussion.

Having said that, what do I do about my feelings of anger (hatred?)? Are they in anyway "rational"?

I start from the premise that anger, in and of itself, is a good feeling. We have such feelings to help us navigate through life. Often, our anger is triggered by what we perceive as worthy of our hatred, e.g., would not we be justified to hate discrimination, injustice, and consequently, be angry at the perpetrators of these outcomes?

If Bush were at least somewhat inconsistent in doing so many things that I hate, i.e., if occasionally he did something I thought was positive, then possibly my hatred would be irrational. But, what else can I do when he constantly comes down on the sides of those with money and power AT THE EXPENSE of so many of peoples of this world with so little? Ranging from the destruction of a nation and a people (Iraq), to his support of farm policies and GTO positions that aggravate the lot of poor people in developing nations, to his disregard of a voting population who disagrees with him, to this disregard of the Constitution, he tends to advocate positions that I hate. Even when he advocates programs that potentially would benefit our people, e.g., medication program for seniors and an education program, his self-serving thrust is to ruin its potential by addressing first those with money and power, e.g., pharmaceutical companies while short-changing our educational system of needed resources to implement the requirements of "No Child Left Behind".

I wish that I was not this angry, but I know not how to be different!