Yesterday, President Obama observed D-Day by going to the theatre. Ford’s Theatre, to be exact. (via memeorandum) The bestowing of the Lincoln medal upon two anti-apartheid activists. To Don Surber it’s a sign of the President’s increasing detachment.
I wish it were so benign.
One of those being honored was Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
What happens when you Google “Desmond Tutu” and “Israel”?
From 2002:
Apartheid in the Holy Land | World news | The Guardian Apr 29, 2002
… Desmond Tutu: In our struggle against apartheid, … Israel has three options: revert to the previous stalemated situation; exterminate all …
From 2003:
Israel: Time to Divest by Desmond Tutu
Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu calls for international campaigners to treat Israel as they treated apartheid South Africa. …
From 2009:
Tutu to Haaretz: Arabs paying the price of the Holocaust – Haaretz …Aug 28, 2009 … Nobel Prize laureate says Israel must learn it will never get security … Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa told Haaretz Thursday. …
And to be perfectly up to date:
Tutu condemns Israel aid-boat attack – Times LIVEMay 31, 2010 …
Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and a group of retired global leaders have joined international leaders in condemning the Israeli …
Archbishop Tutu, did find time to meet with terrorist leader Ismail Haniyeh and to blame 9/11 on American trade policies.
President Obama said of Archbishop Tutu and his fellow honoree, South African Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs…
“There are few people so deserving of the Lincoln Medal,” Obama said of the two honorees.
Somehow I wouldn’t imagine that President Lincoln would condemn the only democracy in a hostile region, meet with terrorists and espouse crackpot theories. Perhaps President Obama knows better. But I doubt it.
Finally, why Archbishop Tutu? Was Judge Richard Goldstone unavailable?
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
I think I will refrain from commenting on this one.
All I can think of at the moment’s really not family-friendly.
-ls/cm
One bright spot of news: Stephan Pastis, writer of the “Pearls Before Swine” comic strip, has – to my eye, anyway – begun a series in which he lampoons Obama’s mideast policy. Check out the June 6 and 7 strips – they’re spot on.
First, let me say that your blog is a daily must for me.
Second, and you’ll want to take this down when you’ve read it,Tutu is not above some crude expense fiddling. A few years ago, he was giving a talk in a church in London. The Rector, a friend of mine, told me that Tutu was in Brussels before coming to London. The Rector offered to pay his fare from Brussels to London. Oh no, said Tutu. You have to pay me the fare from South Africa to London and back!
Breathtaking from this paragon of Christian virtue who loses no opportunity to lecture Israel from his Christian pulpit.