Freedom's Fire, Brightly Burning

In January of this year, John Kerry performed a typical world-leader tour of several nations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Last week, George W. Bush followed in his footsteps...except the reception for Bush was rather different than John Kerry received.

Funny, the mainstream media seem to be missing this contrast. They report on the demonstrations, effigy-burnings, rock-throwing and so forth meeting Bush's visit, and the 5000-person security detail required to protect the so-called "leader of the free world"....and one might think that the citizens of India and Pakistan are full of vitriol for the U.S. as a country.



But it's not the U.S. - it's not Americans that they hate. It's George W. Bush and his administration.

How else can you explain that John Kerry did not need 5000 security guards to protect him? John Kerry was not met with raging protests. John Kerry traveled amongst the people and was greeted with affection. And he, too is an American. So why does the media allow the implication that the reception of George W. Bush in these countries has anything to do with how they feel about America?

As an American, I fervently hope that the people of India and Pakistan think of America as more accurately represented by men like John Kerry, than by George W. Bush.