Posted by
Grampus on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 1:50:50 PM
Normally, I certainly would not be in accord with a reporter from the NY Times...however, this article makes a lot of sense.
By Craig R. Smith (New York Times Reporter)
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 same magazine that employs Michael (Qurans in the toilets at
Gitmo) Isikoff. Here I promised myself this week I would be nice and I
start off in this way.
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 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a
change.
So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''
Is
it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the
summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of
these unhappy folks have a job? 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?
Maybe it is the ability to drive from the
Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present
identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the
hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can
provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with
varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could
it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide
services to help all involved . Whether you are rich or poor they treat
your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to
the hospital.
Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans
who own a home, you may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate
case of having 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. 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. This all in
the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and
pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers
own cell phones and computers.
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 percent 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 US , 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 brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander-in-chief of an
all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?
Make
no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have
volunteered to serve, and in many cases 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. Just ask why they are going to
allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special
about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did he was insane!
Stop
buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut 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 a country.
There is exponentially more good than bad.
I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:
''What
have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the
earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social
freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of
the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given
time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have
been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down
unsullied to our children and theirs.''
I suggest we sit back
and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will
be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why
we squandered such blessing and abundance. If we are not careful this
generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful
generation.'' A far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest
generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy.
Grampus