VOL. 113 - NO. 4 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JANUARY 23, 2009 $.30 A COPY History Made in the President Bush Deserves Our Praise, United States of America NOT JUST HISTORY’S by Paul Ibrahim For the partisan crowds leaving Bush’s assessment set that the left and the me- and the media hordes that to history. He deserves our dia were never going to give made it their lives’ mission evaluation today — and the him a chance — and they to ravage President George result can only be our didn’t. Yet he was thoroughly W. Bush’s reputation start- thanks and praise to a fine ineffectual at explaining the ing even before his first president. urgency of the war on terror inauguration — evidently First, it is worth examin- and the necessity of spread- because he beat Al Gore by ing the reasons why Bush ing democracy in the lands a thin margin – the chorus fell short of being an excep- that breed Islamic extrem- has not and will never tional president. His failed ism, even though he clearly change: George W. Bush experiment with “compre- understood both quite well. was an awful president, if not hensive” immigration re- Even in the face of the most the worst we ever had. form is a prime factor for vitriolic, scathing and false For the rest of us, the as- most Americans. But most attacks from top-ranking sessment has been a rea- severe was Bush’s contin- Democrats on Iraq, Katrina sonable mix. Some are ued enlargement of the fed- and imagined scandals, genuinely dissatisfied with eral government. This in- Bush thought it either un- Bush’s performance, and cludes his unjustifiable in- necessary or futile to defend The United States of millions of spectators who others will predictably defend creases in spending and the himself. Unsurprisingly, his America has officially sworn traveled from all over to wit- him to the virtual death. Too more recent bailout mam- refusal to effectively defend in the 44th President of this ness history in the making. many, however, are leaving moths. His move to pay for himself disincentivized his great nation on Tuesday, Just after noon, Obama it to history, their rationale the United Auto Workers’ supporters from ardently January 20, 2009. History stepped forward on the West being that even though they own greed with our money, protecting his reputation as was made on this day as we Front of the Capitol to lay his cannot demonstrate Bush’s even after congressional well. welcomed in Barack Obama left hand on the Bible that successes, history might be rejection of the same, was Bush’s mistakes, how- as the first African Ameri- President Lincoln used at able to. nothing short of shameful. ever, were far outweighed by can President of the United his first inauguration in I started out as a supporter His proclamation that “I’ve his worthy accomplish- States. President Obama 1861. The 35-word oath of of President Bush. I am most abandoned free market prin- ments. Having inherited a was sworn in at a ceremony office, has been recited by certainly not one to defend ciples in order to save the recession from the Clinton including past Presidents of every president since him blindly, because he has, free market system” was Administration, Bush cut the USA, dignitaries, and George Washington. over the years, done much incomprehensible. taxes, spurring the economy to push small-government Greatly damaging as well into 52 consecutive months conservatives such as my- was Bush’s refusal to defend of job growth (a record, yield- self far from him. Yet after himself in an effective man- News Briefs eight years, I cannot hide by ner. It was clear at the out- (Continued on Page 14) by Sal Giarratani Mayor’s Column by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston Girls Gone Wild Over Stimulus Cash? Americans across the country recently that ordinary men and women have the First the banks, then the auto industry and now gathered to reflect on the legacy of one power to change our world. He left a another major American industry is asking for of our greatest cultural champions in legacy based on the simple but powerful help as the global financial crisis continues. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and just idea of helping people for the common Hustler publisher Larry Flint and Girls Gone one day later, many of us celebrated re- good. Wild CEO Joe Francis will request $5 billion from newed hope for America’s ideals with the We’ve seen a rebirth of that spirit Congress to bail out the ailing porn industry. inauguration of Barack Obama as the in the election of Barack Obama. On CNN.com reports Owen Moogan, spokesperson 44th President of the United States. In a Tuesday, January 20, Barack Obama for Flynt, “Is it going to make the lives of Americans city rich with history, I’m proud that wrote another great chapter in Ameri- better off if it happens? Is it for them to determine?” Dr. King’s personal history is rooted can history by being inaugurated as One Mississippi, here in Boston. And let’s not forget that President. People across the City paused Two Mississippi, Three … just five years ago, Boston again to recognize the importance of this day. Mississippi now has the nation’s highest teen witnessed history when a candidate To celebrate this inspiring and historic birth rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for for U.S. Senate from Illinois named event, I joined hundred of our neighbors that “great title”. According to a new Federal Barack Obama introduced himself to at the Inauguration Day Community report, Mississippi’s rate was more than 60 per- the world at the Democratic National Telecast at the Strand Theatre in cent higher than the national average in 2006. Convention. The rest is history, a Uphams Corner. Students in many Texas and New Mexico, the runners up had a history that we should all be proud of. Boston Public Schools watched the teen birth rate of only more than 50 percent the On Martin Luther King Day, I joined day’s events with their classmates, and national average. hundreds of community members for the other community members viewed Forget, Chrysler, Ford and GM, its Mississippi, 39th Annual Martin Luther King Day Inauguration Day live from Boston Texas and New Mexico. If it wasn’t so sad, I’d laugh! Breakfast at the Boston Convention and Public Library branches in their neigh- Roland Burris from Exhibition Center. It was a chance to borhoods. It was a celebration of the reflect on the life and legacy of one of great progress that we’ve made, a ful- Twilight Zone to U.S. Senate Boston’s proudest citizens. Dr. King’s fillment of the promise that Dr. King “You unlock this door with the key of imagination. hope for racial and economic equality, championed. Beyond it is another dimension of sound; a dimen- and his hope for peace and justice live President Obama’s election reflects (Continued on Page 15) on as an inspiration for generations of Americans. Dr. King’s story shows us (Continued on Page 15) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office will be open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, JANUARY 23, 2009 S imple TIMES . by Girard A. Plante This past week’s bitter the families whose loved blast of Arctic air still has ones are on active duty in some New Englanders shiv- America’s military. Utterly AESCULAPIUS & HIPPOCRATES ering. Yet as I write this empty for the people who lost The ancient Greek god of sick, and by some unexplain- them this art, if they would column, snowflakes gently daughters, sons, husbands, Medicine was named Aescu- able power, was also able to learn it, without fee or cov- fall from grey skies. No big fathers, brothers, sisters. lapius. He was often portrayed recall the dead to life. Zeus enant. I will impart this art winds. No frigid tempera- Through all the ugliness of clad in a cloak while carry- feared that mankind might by precept, by lecture, and by tures. A simple snowfall that both wars that are entering ing a staff that had a serpent use this Samaritan as a every mode of teaching, not looks to add a half foot of the sixth year, we can draw (snake) coiled around it. My- means to escape death alto- only to my own sons but to the new snow atop an already on our places within our thology identifies him as a gether, so he killed Aescu- sons of him who has taught blanketed landscape. As we communities to know that son of Apollo who was taught lapius with a thunderbolt, but me, and to disciples bound by enter the latter half of the safety and peace begin with the art of healing by Chiron, out of respect for his good covenant and oath, according New Year’s first month, no ourselves and our neighbors. a centaur. For those readers deeds, placed him among the to the law of medicine. The melting looks to be around I want much to believe that who might have forgotten, a stars. regimen I adopt shall be for the corner anytime soon. answers to humanities centaur was a mythological Hippocrates was a direct the benefit of my patients ac- Not to fret, though.