I am Not One For Beating Rround the Bush...

In what must be the  supercilious gesture, The Plain English Campaign (PEC) has given President George W Bush the Foot in Mouth Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to gobbledegook English.

As someone for whom English does not come easily and who finds hitching together a string of English words a struggle that brings sweat through the pores, I have to record my indignant objections to the presumption of superiority on the part of those in PEC.

If you ask me who among the American Presidents would you look up for inspirational language, I won't hesitate to place George W Bush behind Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy. Bush has made us third worlders, who don't speak English at home,  look good.

If he were a Catholic, and me a Pope, I would most certainly make him the Patron Saint of English Language Learners.


This happened once while I was staying at Anandashram at Mangalore. There was an American lady, from somewhere in Arkansas I think, with whom my wife developed a friendship. She was courteous and helpful, they got along fine.

There was another person with us, someone from Kerala, who was besotted with foreigners, which means, white skin. He pestered the lady with questions, and I think, she patiently humoured him.

One day, a college student came along the way, and the lady got to talking with him. They talked for about an hour, and the old man watched them talk with growing unrest. At last, when the boy had gone, the old man went to the lady and asked her, "How is the boy's English?"

The lady answered, "It is alright, but he has a strong accent".

That lady most assuredly didn't speak the Queen's English, did she? She was from Arkansas.

It was then that I realised that everyone has an accent. Even the Queen.

English belongs to us all, and I praise George Bush for his gaffes- they are inspire us all.

To those of you, I know a lot of you are out there reading this, I want to say- don't worry about English. Come on in and join the fun.

For giving me confidence, and for being an everlasting source of joy and inspiration, I shall not forget George W bush.

This blog shall count his remaining days at office, and in an act of thankfulness, recall his unique contribution to  History.

My only regret is that Bush chose Cheney as his running mate, if he had crossed over and brought Dan Quayle with him, this world would have been a far better place. But, alas, that was not to be...