No, this isn’t a glowing review of Wynn Las Vegas–it’s a rare foray from me away from gambling and into the realm of politics.
It turns out that a poem indirectly praising US president George W. Bush has been discovered and eliminated from a Pakistani textbook. From the Guardian:
Penned by an anonymous writer, The Leader embarrassed education officials in the country after it found its way into an English textbook for 16-year-olds.
The revelation is likely to embarrass Pakistan’s president Pervez Musharraf, who has been criticised at home for taking what has been perceived to be a pro-American stance in supporting the Bush administration’s so-called war on terror.
An official working with the Pakistan Education ministry told the Times of India: “We have decided to delete the poem from the book, published by the National Book Foundation, and prescribed for federal board students.
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Veiled ode to George Bush deleted from Pakistani textbooks
Now, because I know you all want to read it, here’s the poem:
The leader
Patient and steady with all he must bear,
Ready to accept every challenge with care,
Easy in manner, yet solid as steel,
Strong in his faith, refreshingly real,
Isn’t afraid to propose what is bold,
Doesn’t conform to the usual mold,
Eyes that have foresight, for hindsight wont do
Never back down when he sees what is true
Tells it all straight, and means it all too
Going forward and knowing he’s right
Even when doubted for why he would fight.
Over and over he makes his case clear
Reaching to touch the ones who won’t hear
Growing in strength, he won’t be unnerved
Ever assuring he’ll stand by his word
Wanting the world to join his firm stand.
Bracing for war, but praying for peace
Using his power so evil will cease:
So much a leader and worthy of trust,
Here stands a man who will do what he must
In case you didn’t figure it out already, the first letter of each line spells out “President George W. Bush.”
This got me thinking how cool it would be if, before his public addresses, the president–whoever it happens to be at the time–said some sort of inspirational rhyme. Sort of like Green Lantern:
In brightest day, in darkest night
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil’s might
Beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!
Maybe the president would have higher approval ratings if he had a poem like that.
Of course, the poem only means something if you’ve got an omnipotent (besides yellow) power ring to back it up, so maybe it wouldn’t help all that much.