If you were on death row, but you were NOT a turkey . . .

The BBQ Pit
1

. . . would you find the spectacle of George W. Bush, the rootin’ tootin’est, executin’est governor of the killin’est state in the whole dang nation, pardoning a turkey, as a kind of light-hearted gag about–get ready to guffaw here–capital punishment–as offensive as I do? If this weren’t an established tradition, I’d’v expected Bush to conclude the ceremony by peeling his face off to reveal Will Farrell.

But who needs surrealism when you have Bush Ibn Bush? (For an added surreal twist, searching the press conference transcribed in this link is a bit confusing, because one of the topics besides the Thanksgiving turkey pardon is the terrorist attacks in Turkey.)

2

Lissener, I dislike Bush–both his politics and his person–but I think you’re reading WAY too much into a harmless tradition.

Instead, I recommend looking at this picture of the ceremony from a couple years ago, which is funny in a way that doesn’t involve frightening levels of vitriolic over-analysis. :wink:

3

Lissener, go outside and get some air.

When come back bring sanity.

4

Just for old time’s sake, he should have let the turkey meet its doom and then mocked its pleas for its life.

<whiny little voice>“No! Gobble gobble! Don’t eat me! Gobble!”

Dr. J

5

Well, when you consider it’s a tradition that goes back decades, I don’t see the big deal.

6

lissener! You ignored my Lady From Shanghai thread after having the nerve to suggest it was better than Chinatown!

7

Sorry Ilsa; took a short break from the boards.

8

Dude, Harry Truman was the first one to do it. Pro and anti-death penalty Presidents have done it for over fifty years. Get a grip.

And remember, if Gore had been elected, we’d STILL have a pro-death-penalty Prez doing it.

9

Clinton was pro death penalty. Clinton was pro death penalty for a brain damaged man in Arkansas.

Clinton pardoned 8 turkeys.

I assume you’re equally outraged at Clinton and will publically say so, lissener?

10

yeah, I know I know; I acknowledged it was a tradition, so what’s your point?

I just think the PRESENT context gives an OLD tradition a decidedly surrealistic twist.

11

What startled me was that right after the AP headline “BUSH PARDONS TURKEY FOR THANKSGIVING” was the headline “COURT CHANGES NINE IN TURKEY ATTACKS.”

12

Can you electricute a turkey? Does it come out well? Because I read an OP on another thread where the poster’s oven had caught fire…

13

Thing is, see, the turkey didn’t kill anyone. He was innocent.

It is right that he gets a reprive.

14

Some people will grasp any straw to get down on the President. :rolleyes:

The guy’s made scores of moronic decisions, and THIS ONE’S the one you get your dander up about?

15

I needed a laugh today. This did it. I’ll be over here cleaning the iced tea off my keyboard, thanks World Eater.

16

This is a brainless fucking tradition no matter who does it. They just eat a different turkey, right? Or do they go vegetarian that day?

If I were president I’d have a slaughtering ceremony instead. Maybe hire Ozzy to bite its head off.

17

Don’t they have another turkey waiting in the wings for the actual slaughter?

How do they decide? Do they draw straws?

:slight_smile:

18

Well, y’know, it’s not like that turkey was cruising around a tri-state area with a Jamaican kid he called his son, sniping his victims through a hole in the trunk of the car, or anything…

So what does the President’s family have for Thanksgiving? Ham?

19

Can somebody explain this curious tradition to those of us who are non-Merkins?

20

wipes fruity pebbles off of screen