Welcome, dear guest

Opening up messenger application this morning, I saw my friend appeared on in his status, saying “Welcome Mr. Bush”. That’s nice, that’s civilized, that’s the good way to receive a guest.

Jose Maurinho of Chelsea FC said, “Football is football and people talk about different kind of football,” and I will bring about a way we are welcoming a guest, although people will talk about different kind of guest. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela (as a child I read that women from his country bit their couples when they reached orgasm) considered that Bush is similar to Satan, some Indonesian distinguished politicians regarded Bush as number one imperialist, and chairman of one of militant group in Indonesia liken him of satan, terrorist, and imperialist, thus worthless guest. However, our beloved SBY and his men, welcome him respectfully. He is a head of state, after all, mention SBY’s spokeperson.

Some groups take the same side with against welcome of Bush, and the rest (I can not say minority, I read only one group welcoming him openly, but this group’s reasoning is very logical that I believe many people share similar consideration and “afraid” of saying “welcome Mr. Bush”) feel it is okay to receive him.

I say, let people express their feeling. Let the “against Bush group” demonstrate their sentiment. Let them show their emotion so Mr. Bush will see our different faces and needs. On the other hand, let other group to welcome him warmly. Let them talk with him about everything, coolly, about his war against terrorism, about his lost in senate and congress.

I laughed my hearts out when listening to a live radio broadcast this morning. After exchange of salam and courteous wishes, the reported questioned a chairman of “powerful pressure group” about his demonstration against Bush’s arrival. He took it that the reporter did not respect his different way of expressing his thought. He asked for respect of diversity and he quoted Holy Verse saying that diversity is a blessing.

Do you remember that there was a guy who asked his follower to close up, forcefully, restaurants and night amusement that open during Ramadhan, his people tried to disperse a symposium and conference on gay and lesbianism, his mass organization assembled people to throw stones and expelled Playboy magazine office out of Jakarta. What a way to respect differences…. God, Allah the almighty, please show your love to this wretched man.