Common Sense and Apathy
I recieved two interesting emails today, one from my grandmother, another passed on by my parents. The first, the one my grandmother sent me, is a letter a lady wrote to a family member in Iraq. I'm sorry, but I CANNOT pass this up - it's a great place for me to start a rant.
Everything in quotes'll be what the email said. Everything else is me. And yes, I'll probably interrupt. :P
"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?"
Oh yes, we are, they did, and so on. Point for this lady.
"And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia. I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat."
Guess what lady; NONE of this will happen. There're creeps in the world. Deal with it. But by no means let said creeps allow you to forget that there are Islamics and other religious people in this world - and country - who DO NOT AGREE with these laws or actions. Hell, how many Islamic people may have died on 9/11? Point is, no one cared. They were Americans, Europeans - people. That was all that mattered, and all that SHOULD matter, ever.
So someone out there has no decency. Don't let them steal yours.
"I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs. I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights."
I don't know about you, but by this point I've forgotten what it is she'll care about... even when I was reading JUST the email and not my comments as well.
"In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care. When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care. When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care."
BRAVE? Sorry lady, I'll agree that he's brave to be over there - but this terrorist is no longer a real threat. If he's being interrogated, he's a prisoner. I really don't care anymore what he threatened or who he waved his fist at - he's off the 'streets' so to speak, and not a threat. Besides, filabustering works just as well as 'roughing' them up. Maybe better, depending on the person.
"And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and -- you guessed it,"
You don't care. That's nice. I'm not sure which it is, Koran or Quran, but I've also seen it spelled something like Qu'ran, which I'm thinking is probably the right way. So guess what; you shouldn't care when someone calls YOUR Holy Book something else, or misspells it, or just generally disses on it. If you don't care, why should they? If you aren't willing to lead by example, no one else will. I've found this is true in everything, but it really pisses me off when someone decides that common decency and TRUE tolerance is no longer 'their issue'. It's EVERYONE'S goddamn issue.
The email I got from my mom was rather funny, I thought. So I'll just start it off. Again, things in quotes are the email, everything else is me.
R.I.P. - Common Sense
"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense.
Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).
His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. - Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition."
I'm sorry, I have to interrupt. What the hell is wrong with these people? o_O
"Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge financial settlement."
...LOLZ. I remember that one... The lady in question probably didn't know which end she was supposed to drink out of anyway. XD
"Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by a stepbrother" My Rights" and stepsister Ima Whiner. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do nothing."
In general, I'll go with this... but hey, SOME of us are still haunted by these guys. I mean, do you REALLY think I'd be friends with someone stupid enough to spill coffee on themselves then sue the fast food chain over it? ...The answer there had better be 'No'.
So yeah, just two emails that I had to respond to/thought was pretty sharp. R&R or ignore as you will. I'm used to no comments... *emosniff* ;P
Everything in quotes'll be what the email said. Everything else is me. And yes, I'll probably interrupt. :P
"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001? Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania? Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?"
Oh yes, we are, they did, and so on. Point for this lady.
"And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet? Well, I don't. I don't care at all.
I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11. I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia. I'll care when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi tells the world he is sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling, slashed throat."
Guess what lady; NONE of this will happen. There're creeps in the world. Deal with it. But by no means let said creeps allow you to forget that there are Islamics and other religious people in this world - and country - who DO NOT AGREE with these laws or actions. Hell, how many Islamic people may have died on 9/11? Point is, no one cared. They were Americans, Europeans - people. That was all that mattered, and all that SHOULD matter, ever.
So someone out there has no decency. Don't let them steal yours.
"I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques. I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs. I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights."
I don't know about you, but by this point I've forgotten what it is she'll care about... even when I was reading JUST the email and not my comments as well.
"In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care. When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college hazing incident, rest assured that I don't care. When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank that I don't care. When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts that I don't care."
BRAVE? Sorry lady, I'll agree that he's brave to be over there - but this terrorist is no longer a real threat. If he's being interrogated, he's a prisoner. I really don't care anymore what he threatened or who he waved his fist at - he's off the 'streets' so to speak, and not a threat. Besides, filabustering works just as well as 'roughing' them up. Maybe better, depending on the person.
"And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and -- you guessed it,"
You don't care. That's nice. I'm not sure which it is, Koran or Quran, but I've also seen it spelled something like Qu'ran, which I'm thinking is probably the right way. So guess what; you shouldn't care when someone calls YOUR Holy Book something else, or misspells it, or just generally disses on it. If you don't care, why should they? If you aren't willing to lead by example, no one else will. I've found this is true in everything, but it really pisses me off when someone decides that common decency and TRUE tolerance is no longer 'their issue'. It's EVERYONE'S goddamn issue.
The email I got from my mom was rather funny, I thought. So I'll just start it off. Again, things in quotes are the email, everything else is me.
R.I.P. - Common Sense
"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense.
Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such value lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).
His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. - Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition."
I'm sorry, I have to interrupt. What the hell is wrong with these people? o_O
"Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student; but, could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge financial settlement."
...LOLZ. I remember that one... The lady in question probably didn't know which end she was supposed to drink out of anyway. XD
"Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by a stepbrother" My Rights" and stepsister Ima Whiner. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do nothing."
In general, I'll go with this... but hey, SOME of us are still haunted by these guys. I mean, do you REALLY think I'd be friends with someone stupid enough to spill coffee on themselves then sue the fast food chain over it? ...The answer there had better be 'No'.
So yeah, just two emails that I had to respond to/thought was pretty sharp. R&R or ignore as you will. I'm used to no comments... *emosniff* ;P