Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see....
As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark. The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?
The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, "What are we so unhappy about?''
A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?
B.. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C.. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?
D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?
E.. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?
F.. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?
G.. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.
H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.
I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.
J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.
K.. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.
L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.
M.. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?
Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.
Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.
I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?
Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it.
The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.
So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?
Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like OJ. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!
Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative. With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'
Jay Leno
I'm not fond of most entertainers. They tend to have views too liberal for my tastes and seldom display any real intellect or depth. I've just become an admirer of Jay Leno. If only...
But this is not really Jay Leno. Visit: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp
Still, the sentiments are pretty good.
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4 comments:
I think a lot of the sentiments are bullshit. IE: complete religious, social and political freedoms
???
A man cannot marry another man. Complete social freedom? Nope.
When's the last time someone in a head scarf walked around this country without stares and finger-pointing? Compelete religious freedom? I don't think so.
In this country, it is the citizenry's job to comment freely on those who run the country, to demand what we pay for in taxes, to see that our leaders do our bidding. I am not unsatisfied with my ecomic condition; I am unsatisfied with thousands of people, American and others, dying around the world from rash actions taken by a leader who can't string two rational sentences in a speech--even with speech writers. This is a man who makes up words, who regularly insults those in other countries, who sat and stared like a deer caught in headlights --ON CAMERA-- when someone told him the news of 3000 of his people dying. I'm unsatisfied with a president who is only "smart" enough to surround himself with people who are stupider than himself in order to build himself up--starting with his wife. I'm unsatisfied with leadership that alienated our closest allies--at least in spirit--and 8 years of incompetence that has made a bad situation much, much worse.
We did not deserve an attack like 9/11. I don't like the Islamist insurgents; I have little respect for their faith based on the way they treat women. But Bush was an illegally elected idiot well before 9/11, and bin Ladin sure as hell didn't try to pull off 9/11 on Clinton's watch.
Keep safe and godspeed home.
I think a lot of the sentiments are bullshit. IE: complete religious, social and political freedoms ???
A man cannot marry another man. Complete social freedom? Nope.
Nor can he in 193 nations out of 196. In fact, in a significant number of those countries even expressing such a desire is enough to warrant a death sentence meted out by the state. At least in the US you have the opportunity to create change within the system.
When's the last time someone in a head scarf walked around this country without stares and finger-pointing? Complete religious freedom? I don't think so.
Last time I checked, I have a right to finger-point and stare. Does my finger-pointing and staring prevent freedom of worship? No. In many Islamic countries there are no places of worship other than a mosque (Afghanistan for example).
In this country, it is the citizenry's job to comment freely on those who run the country, to demand what we pay for in taxes, to see that our leaders do our bidding.
And when were you denied that right? What have you done to force your elected officials to do your bidding? What if your opinion and desires are in the minority? Think the elected officials are going to do what a minority of constituents want? That ain’t how it works, but show me a better system anywhere in the world.
I am unsatisfied with thousands of people, American and others, dying around the world from rash actions taken by a leader who can't string two rational sentences in a speech--even with speech writers.
And somehow dying is better if the leader is eloquent? Putin is very eloquent. Somehow I don’t think that made life better for Chechens or Russians in two wars. Rash? Take a look at the mass graves in my earlier post…over 500 discovered in Iraq so far with almost a million human remains.
Even your hero Clinton has publicly stated that everyone believed Saddam had WMD…and he did use them on his own people and the Iranians during the 80’s. Had Saddam come clean, when given the UN’s ultimatum in December of 2002 instead of continuing to block inspections, the invasion never would have happened and he would most likely still be in power.
This is a man who makes up words, who regularly insults those in other countries,
Lots of people make up words, so what? I don’t recall any deliberate insults that Bush cast at people in other countries. Perhaps there is a specific example that got your attention?
who sat and stared like a deer caught in headlights --ON CAMERA-- when someone told him the news of 3000 of his people dying.
Gee, I thought that was a pretty human reaction. How should he have reacted in front of elementary school children? Shock and disbelief were pretty much how most Americans and civilized people around the world reacted that day.
I'm unsatisfied with a president who is only "smart" enough to surround himself with people who are stupider than himself in order to build himself up--starting with his wife.
Who’s casting insults now? What evidence do you have that supports the accusation that people surrounding Bush are stupid? Idealogs most assuredly, but stupid? I think not.
I'm unsatisfied with leadership that alienated our closest allies--at least in spirit--and 8 years of incompetence that has made a bad situation much, much worse.
This is a very simplistic view and you are ignoring a number of factors outside anything Bush himself did. Allies will cooperate when they believe such action is in their national interest and for no other reason.
There is a reason the French, Germans, Russians and Chinese were not keen on our invasion of Iraq. They knew we would discover, as we did, that they had been supplying Saddam with weapons in direct violation of the very UN sanctions that they had voted for. We had two tanks taken out by French anti-tank missiles that the French delivered to the Iraqi’s in December 2002.
Exactly how many terrorist attacks have materialized against American targets since 9/11? ZERO! Made the situation worse? Al Qaeda is reeling...suffering strategic defeat and isolation even among Muslims.
But Bush was an illegally elected idiot well before 9/11
Illegally? And how do you determine that? Every single recount done under the Freedom of Information act by Gore supporters (read that liberal media) has validated that Bush won Florida. It was Gore who dragged the whole affair into the courts in the first place (where it didn’t belong). I suppose you think that a liberal-leaning state court had more grounds to decide a national election than the Federal Supreme Court. There was nothing illegal or unconstitutional about it.
You wouldn’t be complaining about the method if Gore had been the beneficiary of the result. In fact, when the Florida Supreme Court rendered their very dubious ruling, liberals throughout the land rejoiced.
But apparently had Gore been illegally handed the election that way, it would be OK because only the results matter. What would your reaction to the legality of the election have been then, given the recounts showed Bush actually won?
and bin Ladin sure as hell didn't try to pull off 9/11 on Clinton's watch.
Bush was in office all of 9 months when 9/11 occurred. The attacks were planned for years on Clinton’s watch. And then there was World Trade Center I on Clinton’s watch, the African Embassies on Clinton’s watch and the USS Cole on Clinton’s watch.
Bottom line is that Americans are the most spoiled people on the planet and they do not recognize how good they have it in comparison to other nations.
Keep safe and godspeed home.
Thanks, I’ll certainly try!
My, that was invigorating…like old times! :)
Nor can he in 193 nations out of 196.
But my issues and responsibilities lie within the US. No citizen of this country can claim we all have fair social freedom.
When did you ever get the idea Clinton is my hero? There isn't a politician on earth that deserves that title--at least not from me. I admire some things about both the Clintons. I loathe some things about them, too. (Not that he slept around--I could give a fuck about that.) I admire some things about McCain (though he did just lose my vote yesterday for an unrelated reason). I admire a few things about most politicians (always and forever excluding Bush, of course--I prefer my politicians to be thinking people). But ANY politician as my HERO? As if.
My point about Bush is he's an idiot and if we'd had a smart president, we wouldn't have gone to Iraq (or if we had, we'd have known more about how to scale what we did there). We would have focused our attentions where it counted the most. I'm sorry for the Iraqis and the oppression they lived under. I believe Sadam was guilty of henious crimes. But I am not the caretaker of the rest of the world, and while I believe in jus ad bellum, I don't believe in the death penalty--for anyone. (In other words, in my eyes, hanging Sadam makes those who did it as guilty of murder as their victim). I certainly don't believe in shooting first, talking later. I'm a Christian, so at least attempting forgiveness is my gig.
It's easy to give Bush and this government credit for no terrorist attacks, but how many people around the world who aren't Americans--I'm talking innocents here--have paid for that? What price have we paid in lost relationships? What price have we paid in building animosity? We've ruined relationships it will take decades to rebuild.
And actually, I would have been complaining if Gore had won, too, because though I voted for him, I was never sold on him. I'm an independent, remember? I believe that election was TOO CLOSE TO CALL. Period. Recount? Hell, we should have started over with new candidates--made the parties come up with someone better. 50% is not good enough, and I fear that's where we're headed this time round too.
And I do still hold that the terrorists waited for the new imbicile to come into office before instituting 9/11. They probably hoped Bush was as wimpy as he is stupid.
Bottom line is that Americans are the most spoiled people on the planet and they do not recognize how good they have it in comparison to other nations.
I certainly hope you don't lump me in with that. I'm not that well-traveled, but I'm educated, I listen to people who are smarter than me, and I pay attention (for instance, I read your blogs, right?) The imbalance of power, wealth, and lifestyle is actually something I personally lose sleep over. So don't put me in with that bunch.
All that said, the US works hard for what we have. Even with our many faults, we do have the best governmental system in the world. On that we agree. Our success, which the rest of the world envies, is a direct result of that.
I was sleepy today, but you're better than caffiene. :D
No citizen of this country can claim we all have fair social freedom.
Perhaps fairness is in the eye of the beholder. But we can affect change in our society and to a far greater extent than in any other nation.
When did you ever get the idea Clinton is my hero?
Oh I figured that would get a rise out of you! Ok, I try to be tolerant of your cute potty-mouth, you try to wince or something when I’m sarcastic. We agree more than we might want to admit about politicians in general. I say there is a difference between a politician and a statesman. We have far too many of the former and we have a woeful shortage of the latter.
My point about Bush is he's an idiot and if we'd had a smart president, we wouldn't have gone to Iraq (or if we had, we'd have known more about how to scale what we did there).
The wisdom of invading Iraq for whatever reason will be open to debate, however, there is no arguing the terrible hash made of the affair. Our cultural ignorance and arrogance did not serve us well. When you listen to the politicians on both sides of the aisle, it is clear that this ignorance and arrogance is shared by both parties. The biggest single mistake was the complete lack of planning for the aftermath and how to get Iraq back on its feet apart from having an ideological goal of de-Baathification…which cost us and the Iraqis in blood and treasure.
I don't believe in the death penalty--for anyone. (In other words, in my eyes, hanging Saddam makes those who did it as guilty of murder as their victim).
Well, that decision was in the hands of the Iraqi government. There was no way Saddam could be left alive in prison in Iraq. His end took the wind out of the Baath Party holdovers and helped convince them to abandon the insurgency.
We've ruined relationships it will take decades to rebuild.
I think you are looking at this in the prism of Iraq only. I’ve had many conversations with our allies both here and in Iraq/Kuwait. Most disagree with what the press is reporting about our national relationships. Admittedly, I’m talking with soldiers and the “brotherhood of arms” tends to cut across nationality. Most soldiers have shared experience and are a bit conservative in their world view.
And actually, I would have been complaining if Gore had won, too, because though I voted for him, I was never sold on him. I'm an independent, remember? …50% is not good enough…
OK we are in agreement. And extend the 50% back to “Wild Bill Clinton” who never got more than 49% of the popular vote either. He drew a mere 43% in 1992. There should have been a runoff between George I and Bill. H. Ross Perot was the “spoiler” in both 1992 and 1996. When you add to that the fact that only about 50% of eligible voters voted in either election, it means that Clinton drew less than 25% of the possible vote. Of course that is more condemnation of Americans as a whole.
And I do still hold that the terrorists waited for the new imbecile to come into office before instituting 9/11. They probably hoped Bush was as wimpy as he is stupid.
New imbecile as opposed to the old imbecile? I really don’t think the bad guys planned their attack to coincide with Bush’s Presidency. Given that the attack planning was in progress long before the campaign, they certainly did not know what the outcome would be. Bin Laden did, on numerous occasions prior to and in the immediate aftermath, voice the theory that we don’t understand what the fight is about and that the West in general does not have the stomach for it. He and Al Qaeda believe we will quit the fight rather than do what is necessary. The media is trying hard to prove him correct.
At any rate, I suspect Gore would have lobbed a few cruise missiles ala Clinton’s approach and called it a day. I think the cruise missile strike is what the bad guys were expecting, not having us wade into them “smiting them hip and thigh!”
I certainly hope you don't lump me in with that.
Och no, wee lass! That statement was a generalization of Americans. I recognize that there are exceptions. Honestly, I run into Americans overseas who downright embarrass me. Some of the guys I work with have been here in Afghanistan for years and still know nothing about the culture and can only manage “good morning” and “thank you” in Dari.
Even with our many faults, we do have the best governmental system in the world.
There we go agreeing again!
I was sleepy today, but you're better than caffeine.
As you may have guessed by my long-winded replies to your comments, you get my brain going too!
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