Memorial Day Comment Addressed

I expressed my thoughts on a Memorial Day post last week.  Aunt Snow left a comment Saturday morning that I feel needs a response in a separate post.  Aunt Snow’s comment is broken down and in blue.  My response follows in bold.  Ready?  Here we go.

Maybelline, this bothers me.

This bothers me too. I’m glad I’m not alone.

I'm not sure I understand who you're talking to when you use the pronoun "you" in this piece.

“You” is 1^st used in my post in reference to those that admire the terrorists of 9/11.

Who admires 9/11 terrorists? I am politically liberal and I don't know anyone who does.

I do not know these people that admire the acts of terrorists. I do however read opinions. The opinion that sparked my post was from a commenter replying to the plea from another blogger to list someone they admired that might be surprising. Here’s the comment:

“I live in NYC. I've lived here for over 20 years. Part of me admires part of the group that engineered 9/11. It was a brilliant plan, brilliantly executed and while it probably didn't do everything they wanted it to do it did change the course of the country for a long time, probably forever. I don't like them. I don't want them to have any more brilliant plans. But I admire that intelligence of the plan and near perfection of its execution.”

To be fair, that commenter was apprehensive to post this admiration. Nonetheless, I see nothing admirable with the 9/11 plan nor the terrorists involved. That commenter is not alone in their view. There are many others that hope much worse happens to America and Americans.

Who wants to take from you so that they can have more themselves?

The 1^st thing that comes to mind is my tax increase. It’s constant. There is never a tax reduction or a temporary tax. More is taken from me in the form of taxes to redistribute to those receiving welfare type services and to support bigger government that doles out those services. Certainly I see the need for social programs to help those through a time of need. That should be such a minimal number in our population. Living on welfare should not be a way of life. Helping people obtain the tools they need in order to support themselves is what I believe works best. This gives people a sense of pride. A sense of purpose. The 2^nd thing on my list is the financial burden of illegal aliens. Please note: I know the difference between immigrant and illegal alien. One brings something to the country in a legal fashion while another crowds and takes from this country.  Those of us that give are really getting tired of those that don’t.

I am politically liberal, and I don't know anyone who does.

I don’t know that you can hang a label on me. Neither liberal nor conservative fits me. Perhaps practical or functional works somehow. I think I like the term “button-down” to best describe me.

Who "spews" (can we have a moratorium on that word, BTW?) shocking junk, and - while you're at it - please quote the junk you find so shocking.

I like the word spew. Spew spew spew spew spew. No limit or restrictions on words here. It’s funny. After reading your comment I was listening to “Wait…Wait Don’t Tell Me” on NPR and heard the word “spew” repeated 3 times during the “Who’s Carl This Time” segment.

Shocking junk can be read and heard from practically all forms of communication today. I provided a quote above from a commenter to a post on another blog. This little blog of mine doesn’t require me to site a ding dong thing; but I would like to list one recent bit of junk I found very shocking from the sweet lips of opinionist (word I just made up) Helen Thomas:

Now THAT’S spew!

who are you addressing?

I am addressing anyone. Everyone. Kind of like art isn’t it? One individual may interpret this completely different from another.

I love talking with you about gardening, but you seem to be addressing a villain that doesn't really exist.

Dear Aunt Snow, I perceive you to be a kind and generous soul. If you could save the world you would. Your glasses are rose colored and I appreciate you for this. However, there are villains and they do exist. The world is a much different place than it was 40, 30, 20, 10 years ago.

Now, I’m not a writer. I studied rocks and I enjoy gardening. I would rather be out working in the garden right now; but I made the original post and need to address your comment. My hope is to communicate clearly with you without any negative tone attached to the typed words.

I live in Bakersfield, California. It’s a completely different place than where you live; but there are many, many more places similar to good old Bakersfield with many, many like minded citizens. Debate is not my thing either. Arguing is not something I cherish. My Memorial Day post is simply an outlet for me to express my thoughts. Your comment on my original post was certainly thought provoking and I do appreciate you taking the time to express yourself.  I hope that I have addressed your questions and concerns here.

Please enjoy this podcast of Wait…Wait Don’ Tell Me.

Memorial Day

 

Some people find Americans arrogant.  Arrogant is being confused with confidence.  In our country’s short history sometimes the biggest weapon we had was confidence.  We weren’t supposed to win so many confrontations because we were only Americans.  Today, some Americans are apologetic for our confidence and our way of life.  They are intent on redesigning our country to resemble a socialistic and sometimes communistic way of life.   That’s the kind of life others are trying to escape with hopes of coming to America to live free.

Are these Americans insane!  I believe so.  These scary types disgust me with some of their shocking comments.  Perhaps those comments are only meant to shock.  Congratulations.  I’m shocked when I read that you admire the terrorists of 9/11.  You’re the same type that want to take more from me so you can have more yourself.  I don’t like you.  I don’t like your thinking.  Strangely, I would welcome you into my garden for a discussion so I could guide you to see how wonderful our country is and encourage you to stop trying to destroy the USA.  So many fight for your right to say the shocking junk you spew.  So many have died so you can try to bring this great country down.  Yet you insist you’re right.

Now who’s arrogant?

Remember those that have given their lives so you and I can live as freely as we do.  I hope you can appreciate them for a moment.

MEMORIAL DAY 2009

Enjoy Memorial Day.