Letters to the Editor
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It all depends on what you mean by ruthless
I have asked people what they mean by saying we aren't trying hard enough in Iraq, and they eventually say they mean we should kill more people. When I ask how the army should figure out who to kill, they won't answer, and just say we should kill more of the enemy. It is just amazing that this doesn't make people see the stupidity of this argument. They make the same argument about why we didn't win in Viet Nam, as if the only problem was that Kissinger didn't try to kill enough Vietnamese.
It just supports the argument that some people are so invested in their own support for the disaster that they cannot think straight.
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"Winning is the Only Thing"
Glen,
When ever I hear someone talking about "a single-minded determination to win" I'm reminded of something that happened in high school. I had a friend who had been recruted in his freshman year to be a defensive lineman. Just before a pre-session game the couch gave one of those pep-talks that ends with well known "Lambeau"-isum "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing!" Upon hearing this my freind ask the couch when he should kneecap the other teams quarterback? The couch told him he should because he, my friend, would be thrown out of the game. My friend said he was OK with that, after all he was just a 3rd string lineman and wouldn't make much of differance if he wasn't playing but the lose of their quarterback would insure a win for 'our' team.
Needless to say the couch kept my friend on the bench the entire game. When asked after the game, by my friends Dad, why he had been benched the entire game the couch said "If that crazy kid had been put in he'd have kneecapped someone and I'd have lost my job!" It never crossed the couch's mind that it might have been something he said.
So what's my point? Just this, this all happened in 1966. Kids who were raised on "..Winning is the Only Thing" are now leading our country, both in office and out, is it any surprise that they see nothing wrong in being significantly ruthless?
One last thing, the 'Greatest Generation' was raised on the ideal "It does not mater wither you win or loose, but how you play the game." Makes you think, doesn't it.
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"Quality of immigrants"
Aaron Bonn,
Your post recalled a situation I fought against locally. Health and Human services runs the national program to house and represent unattended minors who are not legally in the country. The majority of these arrive via plane, and are housed (now) in group homes around the country, some of which are in extremely expensive neighborhoods (two in the Galleria in Houston, one of which is down the street from Bush I's home). They are buying these houses for an average of $1.5 million each, and then turning them over as grants to politically connected "not for profit" child care agencies, who only have to stay with the program for 5 years (though they get to keep the house).
On the other hand, these 5000 children (annually, since 2000--great airport security, there) are treated with schooling, representation for asylum, and in home medical treatment. These arrivals are usually from asian families who could afford (or went in debt to smugglers) trans oceanic plane fares.
However, children who come in overland are often held in the same facilities as adults in the Southwest, often in camps or leased county jails, required to live , eat, exposed, etc in jail settings with or without families because of a backlog in available facilities from HHS (who cancelled many facilities contracts previously held by INS who had this responsibility prior to the PATRIOT ACT).
The end result to me: As a child, if your family can afford to fly in, you get to live in a multi-million dollar, private home, with round the clock supervision and extensive (and expensive) care, along with free legal representation and schooling. If you walk over the border, you are stuck in a jail cell, in an overcrowded facility, have to use an exposed toilet, or perhaps live outdoors in some of the harshest terrain in the US. Something of a disparity there, all based on whether you can afford to hop a flight....
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Plus, I hear there's gambling at Rick's!
What's scary is that is the attitude of the woman who said let's kill some liberals because they are "undermining the war".
Any chance there's the teensiest element of political hyperbole informing that statement, Mr. ConservativeSLAYER?
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First: before I wash my filthy hands all caked black lookin' with tomato pollen...
I'd like to say, "Thanks for getting out, you NSA, from my bathroom plug-drain.
OT- I planted rows of fall green brassier (broccoli) and am disappointed (perhaps to an excessive quantity?), but you never cease to Shock me, nsa!
We have no close affection for ya', yet, and I'd get a big Greyhound bus to 5th Avenue if a lady would take me? I know I have filthy hands! Find a good lady who no-hates me? Maybe she can buy me a bus fair to a wedding chapel on South Hampton's beach shore, outside New York City?
I am shy and when a anti-Semitic or anti-Moslem's, anti-human, or plain if a plain little ant-creeps up to me on a wedding day, I yell.
Why not say, I have no love of labels? I hate a label. I have an admiration for diverse and true humanity! Given the opportunity, if ever, I'd elope with Anybody who is not creepy or sinister--and o, what a glorious honey-moon!
O, ...where is she? O, Miss Glorious? O, Miss Misalliances, anybody...Take me to the NY's Ham-stead beach? I'll sun bathe?
If a NYC's 5th avenue all Americana's gal is too offended by my dirty fingernails, will Mr. Buckley drink a glass of gin and we can begin dialogue about where the good dirty ladies hang out? Will the evangelical preacher save me one for Wednesday night? I need to ask?
I no like Delmonico Meat Steak. I get upset when the "spy network" goes, spook, spook, spook, tap, tap, tap...and my keyboard goes wacky! I hate to chew on grizzle sinew's meat-bones.
The red ants crawl into my honey jar! i AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT MY GOVERNMENT HOLDs NOTHING AGAINST ME AFTER SNOOPING IN MY BATHROOM. iF i WAS A JEWISH BATHER, VERSED IN hEBREW, OR A mid-east aRABIC (
If I was born in Tunis and wore a tunic, what is that to the world? Gads.
Malcontent, I like cookie monster. He remains perpetually cranky and always grouchy. He lives in a garbage can and makes due...he is never too hungry? Is Cookie Monster Greek, Arabic, a NSA snoop, Jew, Christian, a Zoroaster flower, or just a lovable crank?
P.S. Please. If you snoop @ my computer, my keyboard has tomatoes pollen on all keys. Achoo. I go to 5th ave. and wait for a beach date on Long Island's resorts? I need a beach date?
Cheers.
A 5th of gin?
Cheers.
burp.
I love Burt and Paul, Arnie, miss "s" and Karen M's & M's&M's!
They make me melt.
I'd say it be wise to have afterthought about riding with me on a Greyhound bus toward anywhere filled-up on the (GoodCelery) blessed Earth...I do love many various-celery sots of pleasant personalities here...nutritious.
Cream.
A GoodCrop.
No crock.