Rutgers Controversy and Words from a Fellow Soldier

Ok, Im jumping on the band wagon. I'm going to write about Don Imus and the Rutgers basketball women...but something needs to be said.

Don Imus' comment, joke or not, was out of line. No questions. It really wasn't funny, and I'm not sure what he was trying to prove...ok, that's settled.

Do I really think the women of the team suffered physically because of being called "nappy-headed hoes?" Absolutely not. My room mates and I greet each other every morning with harsher insults than that, and I certainly don't get sick on a regular basis.

I understand the difference of course. Imus' joke was mean-spirited, our greetings are not...but my point is simply that you can't let things get to you. What does it matter what an old white-dude has to say about the black women on a Rutgers basketball team? Nothing...it doesn't matter. Should he have been fired? It's not my decision, and I really couldn't care less. All I know is that I'm sick of reading about how insult is making them suffer...bah.

Imus has handled the aftermath as best as he should...he's apologized again and again for his behavior...on Al Sharpton's show! (possibly a mistake to try that...) But no one will let it go...he deserves some punishment...but think about it: If soldiers had taken Kerry's slip-of-the-tongue as seriously as everyone is currently taking Imus', MA might be out of a senator.

I received this next piece in an email from my recruiter who received it from a friend of his. It's good...really good.

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?''

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 95.6 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 and
even 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 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 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 ass 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 O.J.
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!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed every day 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.

Fantastic. That's all I've got. Back to work.
Peace out.