Presenting: The Longest Entry Ever (L'entrata più lunga mai)
Let me first say one very, very important thing: Happy Halloween!
I got an e-mail from my mom today. It was quite politically charged. She does that from time to time, trying through e-mail to convince me to come back into the Republican fold (subconsciously at least). It's mildly amusing to me, because forwarding a half-assed political e-mail is not going to do what eighteen or so years of conditioning failed to. I wrote a response to each point presented in the email and sent them back to my mom. I'm hoping she forwards it to all of her friends, but my money is on that not happening.
I figured I should share this with you, the loyal readers of my journal. It's my own preachy bull shit which I hope to one day, after I rule the world, make required reading for all students everywhere. Without further ado, I present a small but long winded political and philosophical lesson by me. The first part is the original e-mail and the second part is the email with my responses, contained within the <<< >>>. (And as always, I agree with you. I am a self-righteous, stuck up, conceited, d-bag, son of a bitch. This is where the winking-face smiley goes.)
> > > Things that make you think a little:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January.
> > > In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the
> > > month of January. That's just one American city,
> > > about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > When some claim that President Bush shouldn't
> > > have started this war, state the following:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > a. FDR led us into World War II.
> > >
> > > b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.
> > > >From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost ...
> > > an average of 112,500 per year.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea .
> > > North Korea never attacked us..
> > > >From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost ...
> > > an average of 18,334 per year.
> > >
> > > d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
> > > Vietnam never attacked us.
> > >
> > > e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
> > > >From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost ..
> > > an average of 5,800 per year.
> > >
> > > f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.
> > > Bosnia never attacked us.
> > > He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three
> > > times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on
> > > multiple occasions.
> > >
> > > g. In the years since terrorists attacked us , President Bush
> > > has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled
> > > al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North
> > > Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who
> > > slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The Democrats are complaining
> > > about how long the war is taking.
> > > But
> > > It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno
> > > to take the Branch Davidian compound.
> > > That was a 51-day operation..
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons
> > > in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find
> > > the Rose Law Firm billing records.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the
> > > Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard
> > > than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his
> > > Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It took less time to take Iraq than it took
> > > to count the votes in Florida !!!!
> > >
> > > Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB!
> > > The Military morale is high!
> > >
> > > The biased media hopes we are too ignorant
> > > to realize the facts
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > But Wait .
> > >
> > > There's more!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > JOHN GLENN (ON THE SENATE FLOOR)
> > > Mon, 26 Jan 200411:13
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Some people still don't understand why military personnel
> > > do what they do for a living. This exchange between
> > > Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum
> > > is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive
> > > impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one
> > > man's explanation of why men and women in the armed
> > > services do what they do for a living.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This IS a typical, though sad, example of what
> > > some who have never served think of the military.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn):
> > > "How can you run for Senate
> > > when you've never held a real job?"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Senator Glenn (D-Ohio):
> > > "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps.
> > > I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions.
> > > My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different
> > > occasions I was in the space program. It wasn't my
> > > checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was
> > > not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the
> > > daily cash receipts to the bank."
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day...
> > > to a veteran's hospital and look those men ...
> > > with their mangled bodies . in the eye, and tell THEM
> > > they didn't hold a job!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You go with me to the Space Program at NASA
> > > and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans
> > > of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee...
> > > and you look those kids in the eye and tell them
> > > that their DADS didn't hold a job.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in
> > > ArlingtonNationalCemetery, where I have more friends
> > > buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch
> > > those waving flags.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You stand there, and you think about this nation,
> > > and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job?
> > >
> > > What about you?"
> > >
> > >
> > > For those who don't remember ..
> > > During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney
> > > representing the Communist Par ty in the USA .
> > >
> > > Now he's a Senator!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > If you can read this, thank a teacher.
> > > If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > ----
> > > We have the perfect Group for you. Check out the handy changes to Yahoo!
> > > Groups.
> >
**********************A Response to the Above*************************
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1465238&page=3
The Link above is to ABC News' site and you will find well over fifty US military deaths in the month of January, 2006 (as well as the names and accounts of their deaths). This does not factor in life altering injuries to US soldiers, nor are deaths of soldiers from other nations and civilians included.
When you read the inaccurate historical facts above, say the following:
a. FDR led us into World War II.
<<< Indeed, many historians feel there is ample evidence to support this claim. However, the US entered the war based on strategic errors on the parts of both Japan (Awaking a sleeping giant, etc.) and Germany (declaring war on the USA, while trying to invade the notoriously difficult to invade Soviet Union)FDR may have been leading the US to war, but the above reasons are the DIRECT causes for US involvement in WWII.>>>
b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.
From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost ...
an average of 112,500 per year.
<<< Germany declared war on the United States, after the United States declared war on Japan. A victory in Europe over the Nazi forces was deemed strategically necessary for a victory in the Pacific to be possible.>>>
c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea .
North Korea never attacked us..
From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost ...
an average of 18,334 per year.
<<< 1.Had the United States and the USSR consulted the people of Korea prior to forcing them to separate their nation into North and South after the Japanese occupation during WWII, no war to reunite the nation would have taken place. American imperialism at its best! 2. The United States was responding to an invasion of a friendly nation. Sound familiar to anyone? Kuwait and the Persian Gulf War perhaps? >>>
d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
Vietnam never attacked us.
<<< JFK was President from 1960 until his death in 1963. US Military Advisors were in Vietnam as early as 1950, and took full control of training the South Vietnamese military in 1956. Kennedy sent just 16,000 soldiers to Vietnam over the course of his three years in office, despite the recommendation of 200,000 from Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Substantial numbers of troops did not begin to arrive until 1965. Despite the number of conspiracy theories floating around involving JFK, controlling the Vietnam War from beyond the grave is not included on the list. JFK did contribute to the buildup in Vietnam, but the conflict in Vietnam dates to the French occupation of what was then called Indo-China and the subsequent resistance of the Vietnamese people to French occupation.>>>
e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost ..
an average of 5,800 per year.
<<< First, LBJ was President from 1963 until 1969. Richard Nixon was President for the majority of the remainder of the war. Perhaps the author of the original e-mail will excuse me for laying the blame of half the deaths listed above to President Nixon? After all, he was the President at the time of the deaths and earlier we saw FDR blamed for the deaths of WWII (however indirectly it may have been done). But this is all beside the point that LBJ did in fact escalate the Vietnam conflict quite significantly.>>>
-----The "French Colonist" scene from Apocalypse Now Redux extensively exams US involvement in Vietnam. It's worth a watch, although I will warn that it's one of those damn Hollywood liberals spouting off his opinion on the world through his movies. I'm sure Coppola will rot in Hell for his sins.------
f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.
Bosnia never attacked us.
<<< Russia wasn't a fan either. It was in response to the Serbian invasion of Kosovo. The military action was led by the United States, but carried out by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "The UN doesn't have any real power." is an oft-cited conservative rationale for the current war in Iraq, and how many times a day does France get publicly bashed for being afraid of war? It's seems to me that Billy is well on his way to being a model Republican!>>>
He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three
times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on
multiple occasions.
<<< Go to 3:30 in this video, where Clinton defends his actions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaNIBFSMjb8
Parts 2 and 3 are linked on that page. Essentially it boils down to Clinton tried and failed to catch Osama when it was realized he was a threat. The Bush administration didn't even try in the eight months prior to 9-11 and in fact did not have a single meeting concerning Osama in that time. All of this according to Clinton, yet all based in verifiable fact. Look for yourself!>>>
g. In the years since terrorists attacked us , President Bush
has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled
al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North
Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who
slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
<<< -Liberating a country right into a civil war is still technically liberating I suppose. CLARIFICATION ON IRAQ WAR OPPOSITION: Many of us who do not like the Iraq War do not like it because it was planned poorly. There's not much of an argument to make against ousting a regime like Hussein's (other than diverting from the War on Terror and the real enemies, but that's another e-mail altogether, friends.) but there are quite a few to be made when the President pulls the trigger with a plan that pretty much entails "They'll love us! What could go wrong?"
-What inspectors in Iran and North Korea? The Libya part is pretty accurate.
-I suppose that's referring to Saddam? Like I said, not much to criticize about putting him behind bars.>>>
<<< The rest of the email (excluding Senator Glenn's comments) is childish and not much better than sticking your tongue out at someone you don't like. Direct attacks on the personal lives of members of one party or another is always childish and serves only to damage and degrade the party that is doing so. This goes for all parties, as Democrats are just as guilty of this tactic as Republicans.
Name calling and accusations are a waist of time that could be used to discuss differences of opinion and work to resolve conflicts in a civilized and grown up matter. The next time you want to make fun of Ted Kennedy or Rush Limbaugh for their substance problems, ask your five year old to tell you everything they've learned from you about "making fun" and "hurting feelings".
You might be surprised the next time you’re in a political argument at work, how much smarter you look when you respond with an intelligent point rather than an insult based on political stereotypes.
Get informed.
Think before you speak.
Form your own opinions.
DON'T LET SOME E-MAIL TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WORLD YOU LIVE IN!!!! (Including the one I'm writing now! How will you know my responses aren't bullshit until you find out for yourself?:-)>>>
I got an e-mail from my mom today. It was quite politically charged. She does that from time to time, trying through e-mail to convince me to come back into the Republican fold (subconsciously at least). It's mildly amusing to me, because forwarding a half-assed political e-mail is not going to do what eighteen or so years of conditioning failed to. I wrote a response to each point presented in the email and sent them back to my mom. I'm hoping she forwards it to all of her friends, but my money is on that not happening.
I figured I should share this with you, the loyal readers of my journal. It's my own preachy bull shit which I hope to one day, after I rule the world, make required reading for all students everywhere. Without further ado, I present a small but long winded political and philosophical lesson by me. The first part is the original e-mail and the second part is the email with my responses, contained within the <<< >>>. (And as always, I agree with you. I am a self-righteous, stuck up, conceited, d-bag, son of a bitch. This is where the winking-face smiley goes.)
> > > Things that make you think a little:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January.
> > > In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the
> > > month of January. That's just one American city,
> > > about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > When some claim that President Bush shouldn't
> > > have started this war, state the following:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > a. FDR led us into World War II.
> > >
> > > b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.
> > > >From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost ...
> > > an average of 112,500 per year.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea .
> > > North Korea never attacked us..
> > > >From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost ...
> > > an average of 18,334 per year.
> > >
> > > d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
> > > Vietnam never attacked us.
> > >
> > > e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
> > > >From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost ..
> > > an average of 5,800 per year.
> > >
> > > f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.
> > > Bosnia never attacked us.
> > > He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three
> > > times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on
> > > multiple occasions.
> > >
> > > g. In the years since terrorists attacked us , President Bush
> > > has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled
> > > al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North
> > > Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who
> > > slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The Democrats are complaining
> > > about how long the war is taking.
> > > But
> > > It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno
> > > to take the Branch Davidian compound.
> > > That was a 51-day operation..
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons
> > > in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find
> > > the Rose Law Firm billing records.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the
> > > Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard
> > > than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his
> > > Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It took less time to take Iraq than it took
> > > to count the votes in Florida !!!!
> > >
> > > Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB!
> > > The Military morale is high!
> > >
> > > The biased media hopes we are too ignorant
> > > to realize the facts
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > But Wait .
> > >
> > > There's more!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > JOHN GLENN (ON THE SENATE FLOOR)
> > > Mon, 26 Jan 200411:13
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Some people still don't understand why military personnel
> > > do what they do for a living. This exchange between
> > > Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum
> > > is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive
> > > impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one
> > > man's explanation of why men and women in the armed
> > > services do what they do for a living.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This IS a typical, though sad, example of what
> > > some who have never served think of the military.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn):
> > > "How can you run for Senate
> > > when you've never held a real job?"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Senator Glenn (D-Ohio):
> > > "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps.
> > > I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions.
> > > My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different
> > > occasions I was in the space program. It wasn't my
> > > checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was
> > > not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the
> > > daily cash receipts to the bank."
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day...
> > > to a veteran's hospital and look those men ...
> > > with their mangled bodies . in the eye, and tell THEM
> > > they didn't hold a job!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You go with me to the Space Program at NASA
> > > and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans
> > > of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee...
> > > and you look those kids in the eye and tell them
> > > that their DADS didn't hold a job.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in
> > > ArlingtonNationalCemetery, where I have more friends
> > > buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch
> > > those waving flags.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You stand there, and you think about this nation,
> > > and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job?
> > >
> > > What about you?"
> > >
> > >
> > > For those who don't remember ..
> > > During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney
> > > representing the Communist Par ty in the USA .
> > >
> > > Now he's a Senator!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > If you can read this, thank a teacher.
> > > If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > ----
> > > We have the perfect Group for you. Check out the handy changes to Yahoo!
> > > Groups.
> >
**********************A Response to the Above*************************
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=1465238&page=3
The Link above is to ABC News' site and you will find well over fifty US military deaths in the month of January, 2006 (as well as the names and accounts of their deaths). This does not factor in life altering injuries to US soldiers, nor are deaths of soldiers from other nations and civilians included.
When you read the inaccurate historical facts above, say the following:
a. FDR led us into World War II.
<<< Indeed, many historians feel there is ample evidence to support this claim. However, the US entered the war based on strategic errors on the parts of both Japan (Awaking a sleeping giant, etc.) and Germany (declaring war on the USA, while trying to invade the notoriously difficult to invade Soviet Union)FDR may have been leading the US to war, but the above reasons are the DIRECT causes for US involvement in WWII.>>>
b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.
From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost ...
an average of 112,500 per year.
<<< Germany declared war on the United States, after the United States declared war on Japan. A victory in Europe over the Nazi forces was deemed strategically necessary for a victory in the Pacific to be possible.>>>
c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea .
North Korea never attacked us..
From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost ...
an average of 18,334 per year.
<<< 1.Had the United States and the USSR consulted the people of Korea prior to forcing them to separate their nation into North and South after the Japanese occupation during WWII, no war to reunite the nation would have taken place. American imperialism at its best! 2. The United States was responding to an invasion of a friendly nation. Sound familiar to anyone? Kuwait and the Persian Gulf War perhaps? >>>
d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
Vietnam never attacked us.
<<< JFK was President from 1960 until his death in 1963. US Military Advisors were in Vietnam as early as 1950, and took full control of training the South Vietnamese military in 1956. Kennedy sent just 16,000 soldiers to Vietnam over the course of his three years in office, despite the recommendation of 200,000 from Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Substantial numbers of troops did not begin to arrive until 1965. Despite the number of conspiracy theories floating around involving JFK, controlling the Vietnam War from beyond the grave is not included on the list. JFK did contribute to the buildup in Vietnam, but the conflict in Vietnam dates to the French occupation of what was then called Indo-China and the subsequent resistance of the Vietnamese people to French occupation.>>>
e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost ..
an average of 5,800 per year.
<<< First, LBJ was President from 1963 until 1969. Richard Nixon was President for the majority of the remainder of the war. Perhaps the author of the original e-mail will excuse me for laying the blame of half the deaths listed above to President Nixon? After all, he was the President at the time of the deaths and earlier we saw FDR blamed for the deaths of WWII (however indirectly it may have been done). But this is all beside the point that LBJ did in fact escalate the Vietnam conflict quite significantly.>>>
-----The "French Colonist" scene from Apocalypse Now Redux extensively exams US involvement in Vietnam. It's worth a watch, although I will warn that it's one of those damn Hollywood liberals spouting off his opinion on the world through his movies. I'm sure Coppola will rot in Hell for his sins.------
f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.
Bosnia never attacked us.
<<< Russia wasn't a fan either. It was in response to the Serbian invasion of Kosovo. The military action was led by the United States, but carried out by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "The UN doesn't have any real power." is an oft-cited conservative rationale for the current war in Iraq, and how many times a day does France get publicly bashed for being afraid of war? It's seems to me that Billy is well on his way to being a model Republican!>>>
He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three
times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on
multiple occasions.
<<< Go to 3:30 in this video, where Clinton defends his actions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaNIBFSMjb8
Parts 2 and 3 are linked on that page. Essentially it boils down to Clinton tried and failed to catch Osama when it was realized he was a threat. The Bush administration didn't even try in the eight months prior to 9-11 and in fact did not have a single meeting concerning Osama in that time. All of this according to Clinton, yet all based in verifiable fact. Look for yourself!>>>
g. In the years since terrorists attacked us , President Bush
has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled
al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North
Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who
slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
<<< -Liberating a country right into a civil war is still technically liberating I suppose. CLARIFICATION ON IRAQ WAR OPPOSITION: Many of us who do not like the Iraq War do not like it because it was planned poorly. There's not much of an argument to make against ousting a regime like Hussein's (other than diverting from the War on Terror and the real enemies, but that's another e-mail altogether, friends.) but there are quite a few to be made when the President pulls the trigger with a plan that pretty much entails "They'll love us! What could go wrong?"
-What inspectors in Iran and North Korea? The Libya part is pretty accurate.
-I suppose that's referring to Saddam? Like I said, not much to criticize about putting him behind bars.>>>
<<< The rest of the email (excluding Senator Glenn's comments) is childish and not much better than sticking your tongue out at someone you don't like. Direct attacks on the personal lives of members of one party or another is always childish and serves only to damage and degrade the party that is doing so. This goes for all parties, as Democrats are just as guilty of this tactic as Republicans.
Name calling and accusations are a waist of time that could be used to discuss differences of opinion and work to resolve conflicts in a civilized and grown up matter. The next time you want to make fun of Ted Kennedy or Rush Limbaugh for their substance problems, ask your five year old to tell you everything they've learned from you about "making fun" and "hurting feelings".
You might be surprised the next time you’re in a political argument at work, how much smarter you look when you respond with an intelligent point rather than an insult based on political stereotypes.
Get informed.
Think before you speak.
Form your own opinions.
DON'T LET SOME E-MAIL TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT THE WORLD YOU LIVE IN!!!! (Including the one I'm writing now! How will you know my responses aren't bullshit until you find out for yourself?:-)>>>