Could have been an innocent coincidence;
Could have been an admirer;
Could have been ...
<font size="5"><center>‘President George W. Bush’ poem
withdrawn from textbook</font size></center>
kaleej Times
From our correspondent
5 December 2005
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — The Federal of Education has excised a poem from a new English textbook for intermediate classes that enumerated qualities of an ideal leader that could have been attributed to US President George Bush.
Written by an anonymous poet, each verse of the poem has an opening letter which when put together in descending order read PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH.
Fearing a public backlash, the Ministry of Education has directed the Federal Board authorities to immediately withdraw the poem from the book.
“We have decided to delete the poem from the book, published by the National Book Foundation (NBF) and prescribed for the Federal Board students of intermediate,” a visibly embarrassed official of the federal education ministry said here.
“It will be stretching the matter too far — to assert that the poem was inserted in the book deliberately to project the American president,” he said. The official said the concerned wing of the ministry is probing the lapse. According to rules, all text books are vetted for nearly a year by several committees before publication. “That they failed to detect the possible mischief is a matter for concern,” he said.
He wondered why the identity of the writer had not been revealed, admitting that examiners of papers always appreciate the names of authors in the answers written by candidates appearing in different examinations. The official said the poem would not appear in the next edition of the book. He ruled out of question eulogising Bush in textbooks irrespective of US funding to transform the curriculum to fit into the enlightened moderation strategy of President General Pervez Musharraf.
The book was printed in 2004 for the first time after the government decided to deregulate publication of textbooks. It was prescribed for the first year students of the Federal Board in 2005.
The Leader by “Anonymous” appearing on page 226 of the book, with its editors being Muhammad Aslam Gondal and M.H. Hamdani, reads:
Patient and steady with all he must bear,
Ready to accept every challenge with care,
Easy in manner, yet solid as steel,
Strong in his faith, refreshingly real,
Isn't afraid to propose what is bold,
Doesn't conform to the usual mold,
Eyes that have foresight, for hindsight won't do,
Never back down when he sees what is true,
Tells it all straight, and means it all too,
Going forward and knowing he's right,
Even when doubted for why he would fight.
Over and over he makes his case clear,
Reaching to touch the ones who won't hear.
Growing in strength, he won't be unnerved,
Ever assuring he'll stand by his word.
Wanting the world to join his firm stand,
Bracing for war, but praying for peace,
Using his power so evil will cease:
So much a leader and worthy of trust,
Here stands a man who will do what he must.
(The first letter of each line when put together reads: President George W. Bush)
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Display...ent_December156.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
Could have been an admirer;
Could have been ...
<font size="5"><center>‘President George W. Bush’ poem
withdrawn from textbook</font size></center>
kaleej Times
From our correspondent
5 December 2005
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — The Federal of Education has excised a poem from a new English textbook for intermediate classes that enumerated qualities of an ideal leader that could have been attributed to US President George Bush.
Written by an anonymous poet, each verse of the poem has an opening letter which when put together in descending order read PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH.
Fearing a public backlash, the Ministry of Education has directed the Federal Board authorities to immediately withdraw the poem from the book.
“We have decided to delete the poem from the book, published by the National Book Foundation (NBF) and prescribed for the Federal Board students of intermediate,” a visibly embarrassed official of the federal education ministry said here.
“It will be stretching the matter too far — to assert that the poem was inserted in the book deliberately to project the American president,” he said. The official said the concerned wing of the ministry is probing the lapse. According to rules, all text books are vetted for nearly a year by several committees before publication. “That they failed to detect the possible mischief is a matter for concern,” he said.
He wondered why the identity of the writer had not been revealed, admitting that examiners of papers always appreciate the names of authors in the answers written by candidates appearing in different examinations. The official said the poem would not appear in the next edition of the book. He ruled out of question eulogising Bush in textbooks irrespective of US funding to transform the curriculum to fit into the enlightened moderation strategy of President General Pervez Musharraf.
The book was printed in 2004 for the first time after the government decided to deregulate publication of textbooks. It was prescribed for the first year students of the Federal Board in 2005.
The Leader by “Anonymous” appearing on page 226 of the book, with its editors being Muhammad Aslam Gondal and M.H. Hamdani, reads:
Patient and steady with all he must bear,
Ready to accept every challenge with care,
Easy in manner, yet solid as steel,
Strong in his faith, refreshingly real,
Isn't afraid to propose what is bold,
Doesn't conform to the usual mold,
Eyes that have foresight, for hindsight won't do,
Never back down when he sees what is true,
Tells it all straight, and means it all too,
Going forward and knowing he's right,
Even when doubted for why he would fight.
Over and over he makes his case clear,
Reaching to touch the ones who won't hear.
Growing in strength, he won't be unnerved,
Ever assuring he'll stand by his word.
Wanting the world to join his firm stand,
Bracing for war, but praying for peace,
Using his power so evil will cease:
So much a leader and worthy of trust,
Here stands a man who will do what he must.
(The first letter of each line when put together reads: President George W. Bush)
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/Display...ent_December156.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
