Good AM in advance, folks!
I pretty much confine my television to the Science Channel, Smithsonian Channel, H2, or a baseball or NFL game, if not a Teaching Company DVD. Those choices allow me, for the time being anyway, to avoid the mudslides of the 2012 campaign. What I see of the news online or hear on PBS in the AM is a campaign of sound bites and non-issues on both sides. Romney has made a mountain out of Obama's "You didn't build it," remark, and now loose cannon Biden has the R's placing the middle class in chains, with a predictably theatrical response from Romney.
Neither campaign is doing a damn thing to educate voters. I see an ad on one of those cable channels that promoting its line-up, where a comment is made that the campaign of 1824 was the dirtiest in history. Maybe so, but this one may well be the most ill-serving of the public. And we have close to 3 months left. Disgusting.
"Chick-fil-A dust-up"
ReplyDeleteThe Aug. 2 front-page story "Chick-fil-A supporters flock to fill chain's restaurants: Patrons rally to back its stance against same-sex marriage" tells me that the reporters don't see, or refuse to see, what's at the core of this issue. This is not an anti-gay issue, it's a free-speech issue. From all that I've read and heard on this, it is abundantly clear that Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy was merely expressing his beliefs and certainly not attempting to force those beliefs on any one person.
The opposite cannot be said, however, of the pro-gay-lifestyle people who loosely throw around the term "haters," which is what they themselves are guilty of. If conservatives espouse an opinion, then they are predictably and publicly denigrated, called a racist or told they have some type of "phobia." Personally, I couldn't care less what happens between two adults in their bedroom. We'll all be held accountable and judged on our actions at some point. We just don't need it shoved in our faces ad nauseam.
OK — we get it — you're gay — big deal! Now let's move on to more important issues like our ravaged economy and unbearable tax burden.
REID EASTON
Elkin
"More boycotts"
So, it's wrong to boycott a company for practicing its First Amendment rights?
The National Organization for Marriage advocates boycotting General Mills, Betty Crocker and Starbucks. The American Family Association calls for a boycott of Home Depot, Pampers, Pepsi, Frito Lay, Gatorade, Crest, J.C. Penney and Ford Motors. All for practicing their First Amendment rights.
I guess we can expect to hear half-term Gov. Sarah Palin condemning those organizations any day now, huh?
The AFA also called for a boycott of the Girl Scouts for promoting Planned Parenthood — which it had never done. So that's more an issue of ignorance than an issue of First Amendment rights.
BOBBY J. MILES
Winston-Salem
"Finish the Thought"
DeleteSaturday, we asked readers to complete the sentence: "The 2012 voting process will be smooth and fair if ..."
* * * * *
"… everyone goes by the rules and there are no technical glitches."
WILLIAM SAMS
* * * * *
"... it is conducted on the planet Mars, where no politician has gone before."
DEB PHILLIPS
* * * * *
"… and when pigs fly."
MONA POTTS
* * * * *
"… a picture I.D. is required to vote. Voting is a far more important act than buying liquor, boarding a commercial airline flight, visiting a new physician, cashing a check, using a credit card, getting a marriage license, driving a motor vehicle, etc., etc. (Please don't beat that dead horse about preventing minorities and the poor from voting with this simple fraud-prevention method.)"
BRUCE A. GUSTAFSON
* * * * *
"… we are all required to show some form of identification."
LISA CROZIER
* * * * *
"… the Republicans fail in their attempt to disenfranchise voters by 'solving' the non-existent problem of voter fraud. Republican leaders are on the record saying that this is a method for winning elections they would otherwise lose.
"They don't realize what will happen if they get what they want. If they win by denying the vote to hundreds of thousands of qualified Americans, no one will consider the results to be legitimate, nor should they."
JANE FREEMONT GIBSON
LTE #1 & 2: It's not EVEN a free speech issue; it's a free-speech on something you agree with issue.
ReplyDelete"OK — we get it — you're gay — big deal!" Let's move on to more important issues like . . ."
. . . changing our state's constitution to make same-sex marriage illegal?
R-I-I-I-I-G-T-H!!! Free speech my Democratic Donkey.
I wish people would leave Mr. Cathy alone! It's not like he had a sign outside of his restaurants that said no sodomites.
DeleteGeez!
If you don't want to hear the bark, then don't make the remark.
DeleteThat's fine, and the same can be said for Gay and Lesbians' remarks and actions that try to force a deviant lifestyle down the throats of of straight people.
DeleteIf sodomites don't like what Mr. Cathy said, they can take their business elsewhere.
DeleteSodomites + their supporters, will equal roughly nothing in the business world.
DeleteFinish the thought? Evidently there's people out there that believe the Might Is Right's conspiracy theorist's spin that illegal immigrants vote.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet, let us perish the thought.
They do vote.
DeleteGood am in advance. Most presidential campaigns start off with what has always worked in the past. This year is no different. The economy will be front and center after the conventions especially after the days old selection of Paul Ryan just before the R confab in a couple of weeks. That has already changed the race considerably. The problems this nation faces are staggering and anyone under about age 40 had better wise up and pay attention or their future will be one of indentured citizen.
ReplyDeleteOld saying among many sayings in DC: The R party is constantly in fear that the people won't understand. The D party is constantly in fear that they will. This election is perfect to bear that out.
Chick-fil-A dust up, more boycotts. Just what we need---more chicken scratching. This and a few other subjects is a good indication that our nation's problems are so daunting that other matters are easier to deal with.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I can open a chain of turkey sandwich joints and the chickens can take a break.
Turkey sandwich joints...now you're talking! I would definitely make that a part of my daily lunch spots.
DeleteYou could get a "leg up" on every one else.
DeleteCosmic Super Mom
ReplyDeleteIt's those damned fertility drugs leaking out into space. Talk about the big bang...
DeleteLove the sinner, hate the sin?
ReplyDeleteHow about: Love the sinner, hate your own sin! I don't have time to hate your sin. There are too many of you! Hating my sin is a full time job. How about you hate your sin, I'll hate my sin and let's just love each other?
--Mark Lowery
"Love the sinner, hate your own sin!" - that actually is the message of Christ, not the love the sinner, hate the sin crap that's been spread around.
DeleteGood AM, folks!
ReplyDelete" ...half-term Gov. Sarah Palin...": No Palin fan, I, but let's look at the thin credentials of the community organizer who was elected President.
As long as you have the "approved" Progressive attitudes, thin credentials is not a concern.
DeleteLeft over from yesterday for my cousin:
ReplyDeletePut the flag back in your pocket, ref. HRC was the darling of the left of center folks until pre-empted by the further left Obama. Yes, she attracted center-right folks, but she is anything but center right. I am center right; she is not.
As for her SoS career, I cited her thoroughly undistinguished Senate career in comparing to Rep. Ryan's notably undistinguished House career. As for SoS, I don't know that I would gush quite so much over her presumed accomplishments that you cite. She didn't build all that, and she damn sure didn't pull the trigger on OBL. That aside, I was glad to see her appointed SoS. It got her out of the Senate.
Just can't give her any credit, can you? Sigh...
DeleteSorry, too late, you already committed the infraction, so 15 yards from the point of the foul.
DeleteI see that you learned from the penalty, because today you use the much more appropriate term "left of center". Liberal, especially as thrown around on this forum, is a meaningless term..that's what the penalty was for.
Arthur, Stab is normally one of the clearer thinkers on the forum...but he allows personal feelings about unions and the Clintons to create tunnel vision at times. It is difficult to see the present or the future when you are looking over your shoulder at the blurry past.
DeleteOf course, Clinton played a major role in both the Egyptian and the Libyan adventures. In fact, her long personal relationship with Mubarek's wife smoothed the way to his peaceful departure.
And she played a crucial role in the Bin Laden business, especially at the end when she and Secretary Gates persuaded the President not to release photos of the dead body, which almost certainly would have triggered violent upheavals in the Middle East.
But her most enduring accomplishment has been her face to face meetings with world leaders in over 200 countries, flying over half a million miles while attempting to repair the severe damage to the US overseas image inflicted by 8 years of Bushite arrogance and spite.
She was the first administration official to visit Israel, at which time she set the tone for what was to come vis a vis Iran. And she has made great headway with leaders in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. Even Hugo Chavez found her charming.
People will believe what they want to believe.
OT is right. I have no use for either Clinton. As for unions, I read in the Wall Street Journal that several states have laws that exempt people involved in labor disputes from prosecution under stalking laws. Some animals are more equal . . .
DeleteMost of those laws apply equally to both sides in a labor dispute.
DeleteThe reason you don't know that is that you are not really quoting the Wall Street Journal but the report that they quoted, which comes from that great bastion of truth and honesty, the US Chamber of Commerce.
Quoting the USCOC on unions is like quoting the US Chamber of Dogs on cats. And in the end, it's irrelevant.
If you knew your labor history, you would know that both sides have created about the same amount of violence over the years, although company thugs have generally killed considerably more union thugs than the other way around.
Oh, I'm sure the Pinkertons drew lots of blood, but I am confident that the violence, intimidation, and vandalism in my lifetime has been mostly committed by the angels of solidarity. I will spare fellow Forum members further union commentary today, and leave the last comment for you.
DeleteStab, California is union controlled, and it's going bankrupted. Make no apologies for your position on unions.
DeleteOh, I don't apologize, but I'll let the issue rest for the time being. Discussion has been pretty good lately, don't want to poison the well.
DeleteHi cuz...no danger of your poisoning anything.
DeleteAfter a couple of refreshing days with intelligent conversation uninterrupted by moronic buttinsky stuff, it's obvious who's poisoning what, as always.
The opposite cannot be said, however, of the pro-gay-lifestyle people who loosely throw around the term "haters," which is what they themselves are guilty of.
ReplyDeleteReid Easton
________________
They get to say whatever they want. But conservatives, they have to watch their mouths. Didn't you know that Mr. Easton?
Good afternoon folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from criticism. If someone who is "conservative" makes a bigoted remark concerning gay folks, then yes, that person will be criticised as a "hater". Again, FoS allows someone to make bigoted remarks, but it also allows others to criticise the bigoted remarks. FoS doesn't mean you only get to hear what you want to hear. If you make hateful comments, be prepared to be called a hater. Btw...what "unbearable tax burden"?? Income taxes are at the lowest rates since they were introduced. If you're complaining about property taxes, well that's a local issue. Take it up at your next CC meeting.
LTE 2: As Mr. Miles points out, this whole screaming about boycotts violating FoS is complete BS. Those complaining about the boycott haven't the foggiest idea what the amendment is all about.
Sum it up: Must have been another slow day at the office. Outside of the 2000 debacle in FL, the elections I recall have gone smoothly and fairly. I've had to wait in some long lines, but I see that as a positive that people are getting out to vote. A picture Id would not prevent voter fraud. It only indicates that person is that person, but not if that person is eligible to vote or registered illegally. It also does nothing to prevent a fraudulent absentee ballot from being cast.
The elections are rife with corruption, nobody wants to admit though.
DeleteHere's some light reading for you gay and lesbian activists.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.frcblog.com/2012/08/an-obscenity-and-a-headline-cant-discredit-study-of-homosexual-parents/