Laura Bush

Alwayshope, to me "class" has nothing to do with socioeconomics either. I've just noticed that people often use it to describe people I wouldn't use it for-- those who are demure and do what a certain segment of society deems "proper".  I agree with the phrase "integrity" only would add personal integrity and being true to oneself, like the holocaust victims who would not deny their judiasm, choosing the death chamber over denouncing their beliefs as an example. I guess it's subjective. I don't think saying I wouldn't describe someone as having class means that they have no class, it's just not one of the words that comes to mind as a descriptor for me-- it doesn't have to be an either or. Laura Bush to me has always seemed kind of blah-- lacking personality.

Benita, I think it's great anyone saves a life I just don't know if her energies would have been better spent in a different area of the world or focusing on something other than breast cancer might have touched more people or saved more lives. Someone earlier mentioned about hoping the women there would feel free about their bodies and I absolutely agree with that.

Shokk, I'm not sure why you think I and everyone else doesn't know where the oil comes from. I think most people are aware of those kinds of things. You can't deny we do get a large percentage from OPEC countries or the arabian countries, although OPEC also includes venezuela and ecuador. When there is unrest in the middle east, most often OPEC limits production and/or raises the price of per barrel of crude oil

Amy, here is why I am confused. You don't think it was the right cause for Mrs. Bush to be addressing.

OK. That is fine.

However, this is a breast cancer support board and Mrs. Bush was addressing breast cancer.

This is also on the World Wide Web... meaning people from all over the world read this- people meaning women who have or may have breast cancer.

So why is it such a problem to have a post about it?

Whether you like her husband's administration or not, the woman went to the gulf to help other women with the same disease we all share.

The last time I looked this wasn't the Oil Depletion Allowance Support Board.

I am respectfully requesting that we give Mrs. Bush a break here. No crimes were committed. Only GOOD was done.

Thanks for listening.

g 

I don't get it!  Why can't we look at a good thing and just say, "Great!"  Instead of thinking it should have been done our way, or over analyzing what may have been better.  We can always think of how something could be better, but let's face it--what Laura Bush did was a good thing.  Can we appreciate it for what it was?  More people are aware than before, that's got to be a good thing.

trying to "recruit" is usually a big part of most religions

I disagree - "recruiting" has never been a part of Judaism.  Even the ultraorthodox only try to convince other Jews to be more observant.  Jews do not try to convert non-Jews (unless they want to marry one ).

Again I don't think "most religions" is accurate but let's just say "many" religions witness as part of their beliefs...................Shokk

Ummm, gay people don't try to recruit and are the majority in the western world. I hardly see them as "victims" when in so many cases they are the ones insinuating their beliefs onto society. That wasn't even the point though, I just mentioned christian in my original post to illustrate the differences in culture. While breast cancer knows no race, religion or nationality, my point was that the message needs to be relayed in a culturally sensitive way.

"my point was that the message needs to be relayed in a culturally sensitive way" Amy

At this time, I am beginning to wonder if you even know what your point was, you went from oil to Christianity to submissive cultures to marrying down (interesting way to put things after your haphazard definition of class)...the topic is BREAST CANCER. She visited the Middle East to spread the word about BREAST CANCER. Good Lord, is it so difficult to give someone credit for doing that? 

I've always admired Laura Bush and I don't think you can put her in the same category as her husband.  I read a story once about how early on his political career, she disagreed with something he said in a speech on the way home, and he drove the car right into the garage through the garage door.  She found out early that she can't disagree with her husband.

I think she's a lady who has learned to live with the lot she has been handed in her marriage, and I don't think she agrees with her husband, but she's learned what she has to do.  Her children describe her as the Peacemaker in the family.

The social injustice that goes on in the Middle East against women there breaks my heart; I have read biographies of some of the women who have lived in that situation.  Many of them politically oppose their husbands; they see the Taliban as an evil force of male-dominated political oppression.

I read a wonderful book about Meena, the martyred heroine of Afghani women, who took many risks to create a secret support group of women, to help them, to start good schools for boys as an alternative to the right wing haddassahs.  She started the organization RAWA and there is a site dedicated to her.  She is an inspiration to all women.

If Laura Bush knows anything about Afghani women, she probably identifies with them, and like them, she is afraid to speak her own feelings publicly, but she helps in the best way she can.  There is also a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we don't know.

Shirley, you're probably right.  Instead of saying she was "afraid" I should have said, she must do what is politically expedient.  There is a huge public relations staff at the White House who decide what the president and his wife should say and do, and what kind of "spin" they want events to take.