School closure

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Pam
I think every now and then we need one of Richard's 'nut case' (as you think of them) replies to keep things loose around here.

kick me while i'm down why don't you (want front row seats????
this is my farewell tour.) wanna contribute?

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by mugsy
PS Richard, in the movie the Siege there is a scene where there is a rally in support of the Middle Eastern men who have been wrongly imprisoned and the "cell" is going to send a suicide bomber in to kill the protesters....no movie review....just a comment

thanks for ruining it for me

[RICHARD]

the proper terminology is

'bear the brunt of it"


wanna pitch in?

[Jessica12345]

they are protesting for war... but they are starting fights themselves

[babolaypo65]

I guess I don't see it as so out of the realm of comprehension that an anti-war rally would "turn violent". (Which of course depends on what that means). Get ANY large group of people together who feel strongly about something, and they feed off eachother. (my lord, there have been violent conflicts with the police and RIOTS after football games!) add a few people who has the exact opposite belief, or as is more likely the case, a few folks whose beliefs arent all that different but where each side is portraying the other as black and white as possible and voila.

I also think that sometimes people have a tendency to want to make the whole issue black and white. the assumption is that if someone is opposed to this war (or even this war at this time...i myself may have changed my mind at some future time) that that person is HERSELF an "ANTIWAR PERSON".

Other folks, who may have supported Bush's decision to begin this war are often labeled "PRO WAR". Assuming those things about eachother certainly emotionally charges those rallies as well. I am, for example thinking about the rallies in my home town. One person will have a "no war ON Iraq" sign, (as if iraq isn't participating) another will be waving a "support our troups" sign in that guy's face (as if all folks against the war are "against the troops").

someone else will have a "no blood for oil" sign..... see where I'm going? this is all so complex. How can a gathering of 10, 20, 30 thousand people with all those differing views have a nice, pleasant "rally".

Put another way, i think it oversimplifies the issue to assume that "anti war" means "I will always behave and would never ever be violent" just as "support our troops" doesn't mean "i'm a baby killer"

okay, I'm rambling, its been that kind of day. I'll stop now, but thanks for letting me spew.

[mugsy]

Sorry Richard....actually there's a lot more to that movie than that scene!

Soledad, I think maybe if you looked at the posts for the humor it might be a lot easier for you to take....you know what they say....laugh and the world laughs with you.

[Soledad]

babolaypo65 - Great post. Very insightful.

Mugsy - If I were playfully making fun of you and trying to twist your words, would you be amused?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Mugsy,

I am an "anti" who asked a couple of polite questions. In response I was told I was being mocked, laughed at. that I have "an attitude" -- whatever that means, that I am selfish, that I don't allow others to disagree, that I stand on a soapbox, and that I kick and scream when it is time to hear the opposition.

What's with the name calling?? I guess the "pro" war people aren't allowed to have an opinion either without some sort of nasty retribution. As soon as someone shows support for the U.S. we/they get assaulted verbally (well, written) about how we don't think for ourselves and how we have tunnel vision. Everyone here has the right to their opinion and has the right to express it. While it is abundantly clear that there are distinct "camps" we should be able to express our opinion without someone jumping down our throats

Is that what you are talking about?

[mugsy]

No Sara, that's not what I was referring to.

Soledad, if it were done playfully I would respond playfully....I actually have more fun with that....but that's just me.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Jessica12345
they are protesting for war... but they are starting fights themselves

sweets,
fighting??????


i'm not fighting i'm laughing..... i mean i have a massive headache right now.....that's how much fun i'm having!!!!!!

the one thing that we are not born with is a sense of humor.
you grow that in your 'formative years' and, if you are lucky,
you'll laugh at things when they strike you funny.

It's a shame that more people have not learned to laugh at the world and at themselves. it's far better to laugh with each other than to laugh at each other.

As far as protesing FOR war i'd like to clarify one thing.

Should you think that i want, like or am for a war, you are sadly mistaken. As you may suspect, sending 19,20,21 year olds to
war is no picnic. I support the troops and the fact that they have a dirty job to do....NOT BECAUSE it's war and NOT BECAUSE we are sending out best and brightest halfway across the world to be put in danger..


GOD FORBID some b@st@rd thinks it's necessary to stick us again
like they did on 9/11. Trust me the ill feeling, anger and sickness you felt on that day would be one hundred fold should anything like that ever happen here on our shores again..or in your backyard...do you have an emergency plan??? do you know where to find your loved ones in case of an NBC attack????

if you do then thank the godless souls who crashed those planes in the WTC, pentagon and that field in PA. they are the reason that we have sent people to afghanistan and iraq.....

the next time you get kicked in the crotch, let me know what you do, take the high road and give your attacker a hug, or beat the living snot outta him, you'll know what you have to do when the pain creeps up your abdomen.

Those guys are doing job so that does not happen to us again...



you thoughts???

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by RICHARD
...do you have an emergency plan??? do you know where to find your loved ones in case of an NBC attack????

and before i forget...

do you know what a chem attack does to you???

read about WWI and the chem attacks-mustard gas
read about the zyklon- the crap they used on the jewsin WWII
read about Hirmoshima-John Hersheys book- about the
effects of the bomb on the anti aircraft gunners who had their eyes MELT out of their heads....
read about what a radiation burn or exposure does to a human being.

just read and know that we have never been visited my such a horrible vision here in the United States.

i grew up listening to the airraid sirens blaring on the last friday of each month, the gov't testing them, in case some russian leader decided that this was the day....ask someone about the sick feeling they got when they were unsure of the day-hearing those sirens go off.....now i'll use a scatalogical term...there were days i didn't know if i should poop or go blind...

until 9/11 we have had a pretty cush life here in the US. should you feel the need to leave some dictator or effin religious nut take away that feel good feeling, well you are a bit late.....

they already have crept into the conscience of free americans....you and me.....like it or not......

no this is not an endorsement for war....

it's an endoresment for me to live free and without fear....


i hope i scared you..not to be mean.......but to show you that sometimes you have to kick a little ass.


Do you want me to be serious or are you willing to put up with
me being stupid and evil????

god bless us all.

[catland]

Originally posted by Edwina's Secretary
I admit to being confused by this opposition to protest.

If this rule that "it is wrong to protest while our young men and women are in an armed conflict" existed would we still be fighting in Viet Nam?

If it is wrong to protest or speak against a president while we are in an armed conflict couldn't an unscrupulous president simply declare a war, send a bunch of men and women off somewhere and therefore be immune from criticism?

Be careful what you ask for, you might get it!

my 2 cents...

I'm not opposed to protest. It is one of the many things that separates us from Saddam and we must never forget that. People who challenge the right to protest, saying that you are "un-American" need lessons in debate, citizenship, and civility.

I know that pro-peace does not mean pro-Saddam.

There are, and probably always will be, a small number of people who attend these types of rallies just for the thrill of being able to incite people and cause damage.

These are scary times and nerves are frayed. I'm thrilled that we're freeing the Iraqi people from that tyrant. It's sad that we had to go to war to do so. I don't like how we're alienating this country from so many others - I think we'll eventually suffer for our perceived arrogance.

I pray it is over soon with as few casulaties as possible.

I remember 911, and thinking - this is just the beginning of the killing of innocent people.

[mugsy]

I am not opposed to protest, I just wish the protesters would put down their signs for just a little bit and help the troops in whatever way they can. I realize that won't happen, but I can dream.

I will say that most protests for whatever cause usually don't get very far, but it makes the people feel better. For example, I detest the pet store Pet Land, and would love to protest them, but, I know that it will do no good. I just protest in a different way, I tell as many people about their practices and hope that a few people don't shop there.

[Soledad]

Why do you think protests do no good? What about the protest over a few bags of tea in Boston? What about the protest that started with a little black woman refusing to move? Isn't protest what America is all about? Isn't protest action the reason we have so much that we do?

Complacent attitudes like that create no progress. I believe the protests against this war across the world have kept this government on its toes. They know that they cannot look like the bad guys which is why they are going to such extremes to avoid civilian casualties. If everyone just sat in their homes and said "okay" I don't think you'd see them going out of their way to avoid casualties. They sure didn't try that hard last time.

And, again, how do you know that the protesters do nothing for the troops. You are making assumptions you cannot back up. What are YOU doing for the troops?

[mugsy]

I am putting together care packages and sending emails as often as I can, I'm trying to help the families here in Fort Wayne. I resent the implication that I am doing nothing. What are YOU doing?