Thank you. That's Americanism at its best and truest. Sad to note this sort
of rebuttal is necessary on a list of this kind, where one might expect
members to possess some degree of erudition.
For what it's worth, I've served, too (U.S. Army).
What gets me in this particular instance is that 1) we have those around us
(as always, seemingly) who would gladly silence others in disagreement with
them and then call _that_ Americanism, 2) as often as not these same
censors are uncareful and/or uneducated and/or unintelligent and/or in
sufficient denial enough to confuse the basic meaning of one post to the next.
In point of fact my reply wanted to s-u-p-p-o-r-t our president by way of a
compliment to the original poster who, as far as I could tell, was gently
trying to nudge Doro to accept an inevitable situation which he happened to
view as a good deal down the road in principle. I found this response to be
well-worded, well-conceived and altruistic as far as these "American"
things go, and said so.
The other night (Friday) I found myself abused by a half-brained liberal in
the back seat of my taxi merely for using the word "liberal" in passing to
a passenger seated next to me--abused to the extent that I took off after
four hours (and immediately upon dropping these four people) and let
another taxi driver manhandle my cab and medallion through this sea of
silliness called San Francisco. Now I gave much better than I received, as
always when it comes to these people, not for the reason I'm especially
sharp but that they're so hopelessly dull. This is not a whine or a
complaint, really. But I've come to find repugnant this routine where an
unthinking person of so-called liberal persuasion tries to shout down or
otherwise silence or gag anyone who has the temerity to voice a view
opposed to his own.
But now this: a person with presumably more "conservative" views trying the
same tactic with his reverse counterpart, only the trump turns out to be
that the person muffled this time isn't liberal at all but rather more
conservative (actually, centrist on balance) in his views and in any case
apparently perfectly in step with his attacker's political position (though
not agenda ), and all because . . . what? The attacker/censor this time
hasn't even the wit to understand what's being written in the first place,
and is in any event mean and selfish enough to try and impose his will by
suffocating the will and expression of thought by others who might be in
disagreement with his own point of view.
Genius!
This country is hurting big time, my friends. I don't know exactly what
happened along the way, but somehow we've arrived at a state where the
simplest ideals of our founding fathers have gone bankrupt.
Anyway, thanks to John and Julie for taking the high road. Whatever your
political views are, I'll proudly walk with you any time.
Just to make it crystal clear for the next bozo who comes to me with this
sort of BS:
1. I stand against war in general for the reason I have found it
to be a mainly
futile expression of political concern, futile means to political
purpose and end
2. I nevertheless recognize that sometimes war is inevitable, and
when this obtains
it is best to fight with all you have as quickly as possible
With re to Iraq and those who cannot bring themselves to bear the thought
of imposing our hateful American special-interest will on its current
loveable (and loving) regime: shame on anyone not clever enough to see not
only the wisdom but the acute necessity of the United States acting as our
government now suggests. If you want to know, I pity anyone that dense and
I despise anyone so bereft of the need and humanitarian goodwill to help
others who suffer greatly (i.e., the greater Iraqi population of various
peoples) under indescribably cruel government. Maybe it's arrogant to
suppose America could and would do better for them, but if it is it is the
arrogance inherent in God's own truth.
That's all.
Now please, I'm with Thomas and wish to get back to stuff about Oly and
photography.
Tris
George,
Are we getting to be so wimpy a country that we can not take criticism.
I would like to think we are strong enough that we would examine the
statement, and leave it lie to bite the original sender if we think it
to not be true. Believe it or not, there are many Americans-true blue
Americans-who do not believe in this war. And, they are true Americans,
they are the differing opinions that make this country the great country
that it is. They have been to war, and not been to war, they are the
well informed, and the ignorant. They are Democrat, Republicans, and all
the different political parties that encompass our one damn beautiful
country. And the only thing that will make this country less than what
it is, and head it down the path to mediocrity is to silence them!
John
I spent 12+ years in our nations miltary protecting the right to say
those words.
"George M. Anderson" wrote:
>
> Tris;
>
> Please keep your anti-American [OT] opinions off the list.
>
> George
>
> PS: it's 'whose' not who's
>
> >
> > An extremely well-articulated reply. (I have in mind a certain person who
> > spoke last night who's speech writers might have served him better still
> > with such counsel.)
> >
> > Tris
> >
> > >If they are things that would impact your life negatively in the
> > long run,
> > >I wish you luck in their not happening.
> > >If they are things that will be unpleasant in the short run, but lead to
> > >growth, change and a better life down the road, I wish them for you and
> > >wish you the wisdom and courage to resist them as little as
> > possible, thus
> > >lessening the pain of transition.
> > >I don't need to know what shadow looms to wish you well!
> > >
> > >Moose
> > >
> > >>:Doro
> > >>not feeling so cheerful about certain other things that might
> > soon happen
> > >>but not wanting to discuss that here
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