Jenna Bush, the President's daughter, is getting married tomorrow at the family's private ranch near Crawford, Texas. She and her groom, Henry Hager, will declare their vows in a private ceremony closed to the press.A story from the Associated Press appears in the Columbus Dispatch, which tells of the history of presidential family weddings: "Historically speaking, the occasion will blend into a lively and varied mix of first-family nuptials stretching back to Dolley Madison's sister Lucy in 1812."
Jenna and her twin sister got quite a reputation when they were younger, for being typical girls of college age, and the spirited beneficiaries of privilege in a town like Washington.
This writer bears no ill will toward the Bush twins. On the other hand, one is not inclined to believe the press was rough on them. They knew if they were going to hit the bar scene in DC, and be bad little girls with little in the way of consequences, someone was going to consider that "news." And Daddy knew that while they were living the high life, other parents were sending their kids off to Iraq. That would have cost him one hell of a lot more "political capital" during WWII, when even FDR's son signed up just like other boys. (And no, girls, the Peace Corps is not the same thing.)
All the same, yours truly would wish only the best for the future Mr and Mrs Hager on their special day tomorrow. I just hope neither of them (or any of us, for that matter), forgets those who made the ultimate sacrifice, to make such a day possible.
Memorial Day is just around the corner...
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3 comments:
Remember Prince Harry.
Having the Bush twins in uniform would be a liability rather than an asset for the simple fact that they'd be bullet magnets to those around them if they were deployed. And they'd have to be deployed if their units were, else they'd be accused of being PCs.
Tis better they don't enlist.
You make good points about the press coverage of the Bush twins and their antics. But even so I wouldn’t want them to enlist in the military. I don’t like it that men ever have to do that sort of job, so I sure don’t like it when women are sent into war zones.
I don't like sending women into combat either, which is why I didn't suggest that. Not all military service is in a war zone. Women served admirably in support positions during WWII, and were on occasion in harm's way. But we were united in our action then, as opposed to exempting the privileged classes.
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