LatinaLista — The news that the American ambassador to Libya had died as a result of an attack against the US embassy in the city of Benghazi was horrific. That a small faction of extremists, believed to be the militant jihadist group, Ansar al-Sharia, planned the attack by hijacking a religious protest (incited by Egyptian media coverage of a thoughtless, disgusting and insulting video of the Prophet Mohammed, produced by a FL pastor who once burned copies of the Koran) underscored the disturbing reality that there are some groups who don’t need Osama Bin Laden, or anyone like him, to champion their hatred towards the U.S.
Yet, it’s understood by most educated people, even slightly familiar with that part of the world that not everyone feels like that and it’s not representative of most of the governments.
But Mitt Romney didn’t get the memo.
In his rush to act presidential, Mr. Romney held a press conference last night about the attack and then used it to orchestrate his own assault on the current administration. He accused the Obama administration for being an apologist over a statement released by the embassy to thwart anymore attacks:
“The United States Embassy in Cairo condemns the continuing effort by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims-as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.”
Romney misunderstood the motive for this statement and jumped to conclusions, almost giddily. How else to rile Main Street USA and make people think that the rest of the world is bullying the USA than throwing verbal bombs at the White House?
Overnight, the facts became known. Unfortunately, it didn’t make a difference.
This morning when Romney could have graciously admitted he jumped the gun, he didn’t back down. In what has become a classic mode of behavior among ultra conservative politicians, Romney couldn’t be bothered with the facts. He insisted along his same lines of incomprehensible assessment of the situation and criticism of Obama though reporter after reporter tried to present the facts to him.
To his discredit, this isn’t the first time Romney has made it known that he’ll pick a fight with anyone whom he feels deserves to be put in their place: Iran, China, Russia.
Romney’s flippant attitude towards war underscores his cluelessness about what are the true costs of war. Those costs may hit the federal budget but they break apart military families, especially Latino families whose sons and daughters are increasingly wanting to enlist to serve their country.
As pockets of the world erupt into violence — and it seems more often than not directed at the United States — Romney’s lack of discretion, experience and humility, along with, his easy willingness to sacrifice other people’s children to make his point, is making the choice between the two candidates easier with each new round of political grandstanding.
