"The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas-a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated." --Ronald Reagan
Recently I was told I offended somebody with my comments about Democrats. I admit that I shouldn't have made it appear that I thought ALL Democrats are anti-American. I don't think that at all. I sincerely regret giving that impression.
That said, let me state for the record that I am offended, too.
I am offended that some people want to minimize the great accomplishments of our armed forces in Iraq.
I am offended by the members of the American media who refuse to report on the positive things happening in Iraq and focus on the negative things, giving hope and support to the terrorists that are attacking innocent men women and children in Iraq.
I am offended by some people who decry the questionable treatment of Terrorist detainees while ignoring the fact that innocent people are being beheaded by those same terrorists they seek to protect.
I am offended that some people call our President a liar.
I am offended that some people say our President intentionally led us into the war by manipulating false information.
I am offended that some people would undermine the efforts of the military and embolden the enemy just to energize their own political base.
I am offended at Howard Dean and others who say we cannot win the war in Iraq and that our soldiers are terrorists.
I am offended that some people call the terrorists "freedom Fighters" instead of the cold blooded murderers that they are.
I am offended that some people refuse to acknowledge the monumental accomplishment of the Iraqi people who voted for a free and independent parliament in numbers that put our people to shame.
I am offended by politicians who minimize that accomplishment and then find something else to attack the President about.
I am offended that some Democratic leaders offer aid and comfort to the enemy.
I am offended by Republican leaders who fail to call for the indictment of those same Democratic leaders for Treason.
I am offended by some people who say they support our troops but continually denigrate them and their leader.
I am offended by some people who liken our brave American servicemen to Nazi's, and other repressive, oppressive regimes.
I am offended by some people who liken the President and his staff and his party to Nazi's and other repressive, oppressive regimes.
I am offended that some people seem to want us to lose the war in Iraq because it will help them win elections in 2006 and 2008.
I am offended by Hillary, who thinks the country is so dumb that we can't see that her so-called move to the middle is motivated by her ambition to the presidency.
I am offended by the mother of a brave fallen soldier who uses her son's death to embarrass our country and throw support to our enemies.
I am offended by some people who want to inhibit the efforts of the President to do whatever he can to protect the people from future 9/11 type attacks.
I am offended that over 2,000 men and women have died to protect the rights of those people who would rather divide our country than unite us.
I am offended by some people who want to abolish God from our country, our classrooms, our holidays, and our hearts.
I am offended by some people who say they love our country but do everything they can to tear it apart.
I am offended by some people who propagate racism in the name of tolerance.
I am offended, angered, and saddened by the many attempts to destroy our country from within by people who claim to be patriots.
Yes, these are just some of the things that offend me. There are many more. The entire list could fill the pages of a book.
So, if my truths offend you, I am sorry.
Not sorry that you are offended by me voicing my convictions.
Sorry that you have been blinded by the propaganda from those who seek to destroy our country from within.
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20 comments:
The fact that you still think ANY Democrats are anti-American is repugnant.
I think you do all you can in this space to poison discourse in this country on the most importasnt topics of the day. I think you are wrong about most things. I think you throw your opinion in the direction you think the right-wing wind is blowing somtimes, actually, when you really don't know what to think otherwise.
But I've NEVER thought of you, or accused you, or ANY of your right-wing ilk, of being un-American.
It's sickening that you and others pull that crap when you can't think of any other way to disagree with those with whom you are at political odds. It shows you're out of anything else to say.
Your president is all hat, no cattle. And you, amido, are all words, no ideas an awful lot of the time.
Webster defines the word anti-American thusly:
an·ti-Amer·i·can
Pronunciation: -&-'mer-&-k&n, -'m&r-, -'mar-, -i-k&n
Function: adjective
: opposed or hostile to the people or the government policies of the U.S.
You really think many of the statements by the Democratic leadership are not opposed or hostile to the people or the policies of the U.S?
They may be unwise. They may be stupid. They are definitely anti-Bush. They are for damn sure anti-Republican in general and anti-conservative speifically. They are anti-war. The are antiBush administration policy.
They are NOT anti-American.
Unless Reagan was anti-American for ignoring and breaking the Boland measue his own priovate little war in Nicaragua.
You arre wrong to call fellow Americans un-American for what they say.
I think the first order of business is in agreeing upon a definition of "anti-Americanism". I suspect, it might not be completely the same to all of us.
I don't think most Americans want to intentionally hurt this country. But we do have some living among us who are pulling for our defeat. I'm talking about fringe looneys here- ones who ER would also be opposed to supporting.
I may think the policies and actions pushed by many on the left-side of the aisle, today, will get us killed and causes us harm; but I don't call them anti-American. I just call them idiots.
I'm sure they are doing what they believe is in America's best interest and could easily look upon the Bush Administration for being anti-American in setting forth policies that they believe are getting us killed and doing harm to America.
Patriotism belongs to us all.
Mark, you stick to your guns.
You are right on this one.
If Kerry has a right to accuse our Soldiers of Terrorist acts, Dick Durbin has the right to compare them to Nazis, and every single other Spokesman for the Democrats has a right to spout negativity about our Country and President and Military and Red State Voters, and the Economy,et al, ad nauseum...
Then you have every right to be offended by it, and you are absolutely Free to call them whatever you want.
(By the way, ER accused you of being a Moderate in that first comment...The Nerve!!)
"The are antiBush administration policy"
I refer you to the definition again:
"opposed or hostile to the people or the government policies of the U.S."
Bush's administration IS the government.
Excellent post, Mark! I could probably have added on a lot more to your list, too.
Whit, you know how this works...
If you're a Dem, you can say whatever you want, and offend anyone you feel like offending.
But if you're a Republican, you better not offend anyone, or say anything controversial!
You have no right to Question anyone's Patriotism, just because they spent the last 5 years trying to undermine America and overthrow Our Elected Leaders and accuse Our Soldiers af attrocities in the International Press, and depress our Economy so that they could regain their power...
That would be offensive.
Here is more evidence of the Liberal mindset found in the comments of another blog:
"One fortunate thing about the current Iraq debacle... is that our ground forces are now overextended".
Fortunate? Yep, sounds like this one wants us to win.
Mark,
They are not anti-American, but they have become disloyal to our democracy because they are not in the majority. The Democrat Sunni insurgency against the Republican majority lives on.
Don't forget to notice too that in that comment, the Freeing of the Iraqi People, and the successful establishment of a functioning Democracy in the Middle East is a "Debacle..."
Mark and Tug, you're both over the top on this. This administration is part of the government, y'all, not THE government. That's just garden-variety ignorance. Laced with arrogance.
One other thing: Why do y'all -- Mark and Tug, for I don't care what the others here think -- think Jesus is so big on giving, and feedhing, and housing, and clothing the poor?
It is precisely because, as He said, and y'all are so quick to point out: The poor we will have with us always. If you think that fact absolves us from giving -- and me from using my VOTE as a resource like any other -- then you've jsut got it backwards.
Getting it backwards is believing that Jesus would condone taking resources away from others by any method in order to help the poor.
And ER, you continually overlook my point about wittnessing to the poor while you are feeding them.
In EVERY single instance when Jesus helped anyone, he focused on their soul. Their physical needs were secondary.
Using the Government to help the poor eliminates this witness opportunity, which was Jesus' main objective.
You can't have it both ways, ER.
You can't lobby to completely separate Church and State, and then turn around and claim to use Government to do the work that Jesus assigned to the Church.
If you believe that your vote is a resource, and Wealth Redistribution from unwilling donors are acceptable methods for doing Jesus' work, then it is only a small step to then believe that a gun is a resource, and robbing a bank and giving the loot to the Poor is something that Jesus would condone.
Help the poor in Jesus' name.
Yourself.
With YOUR stuff.
With a glad and willing heart.
I will do the same.
Stop trying to involve Government in my charity.
He does seem to have sort of a one-track mind about that lately, doesn't he, Pastor Tim?
I don't care. I just like arguing with him. Doesn't make any difference to me what the topic is... ;)
Don't be cowed by the crocodile tears Democrats shed when you say something that "offends" them. Democrats can't be offended. How can a group of people who support pornography as free speech yet oppose prayer be offended by anything? How can a group of people who are actively working to sexualize children at a younger and younger age be offended by anything? How can people who have never apologized for the evil of slavery and who fanatically support the evil of abortion be offended by anything? If the Nazi party were to apologize for all their past evil and assure us that they would no longer be racist and hateful, that they were now a benevolent organization, would any of you sign up? The Democrats have never admitted to any wrongdoing, have never apologized or shown remorse for their bloody history, and they say they are offended by the slightest criticism? Democrats can't be offended. So long as Democrats are out of power, what is bad for the country is good for them. That is anti-American.
My mistake. I should never have let myself get sucked into this.
I'm sorry. I'll try to be better at letting y'all be y'all.
And y'all are best at being y'all without fellow Americans like me making things difficult for you by disagreeing.
This post was the only part of my day that made me mad. And it's not worth it.
So, again, seriously, I'm sorry.
You deserve to not have a friend disrupt your place, and I need to treat myself better by not wandering into places where I know I will be upset.
I'll try to do better by both of us. There's nothing fun, or enlightening, or inspiring, or informing about this.
I am offendend by gay pride parades and Mike Newdow. I am offended that the ACLU thinks they speak for me. I am offended by Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton. I am offended by Dean, Murtha and Pelosi lying to me. I am offended by CBS using fake documents as news. I am offended by the MSM thinking I am stupid. I am offended my Moore and Franken. I am proud they are able to voice their opinions in freedom protected by our Patriot Armed Forces thet proudly Volunteer to protect that right. I am proud to be an american supporting the rightd of others to enjoy the same freedoms I enjoy, the freedom to dissent in peace. I don't believe an assasination has been tried on Loonbat mother Sheehan or that fake american indian. I have read many posts on liberal sites calling for those measures against conservatives not one on a conservative site. I will say Rednecks can't be erudite just steeped in Barnyard logic and common horse sense.
Come on now. Most of what you are listing here could go both ways and apply to the Republicans the rest is paranoia generated by one example that you blow out of proportion.
I am offended by some people who say they love our country but do everything they can to tear it apart. (Republicans)
I am offended by some people who propagate racism in the name of tolerance. (They just propagate racism in general)
If you don't want the president to be called a liar, tell him to quit lying.
Who exactly offered aid and comfort to the enemy? If anyone it would be Cheney, Rumsfeld and Reagan. They are the ones who armed the very guys we are fighting.
Supporting the troops and supporting the "leader" is completely different and not related. What are we sheep?
I too am offended that over 2000 men and women have died in a war that has only added to Exxon and Halliburton’s stock price.
I am offended that Republicans use God as a tool to anger other conservatives. That’s all it is; a political tool to make you vote Republican and you fell for it! Read my latest post; you are the ones trying to add God into things where he never existed in the first place. No one wants to take God out of anyone’s heart. We just don't want you to add him to our schools, our laws, or our government. If you want God in your politics, schools, and laws move to Saudi Arabia. You are in the wrong country for a theocracy. If you want God, go to Church. Were you in Church yesterday or were you watching football? If you aren't getting enough God go to church more often, don't make our schools be the substitute.
Dear Mark,
You seem to have mistaken political opposition with anti-Americanism. If you really, REALLY are serious and stick to the Webster definition then you truly are heading into dangerous waters. How can you say that someone who is American by being born and raised there can be anti-him/herself at the same time? This means either you or them are being logically inconsistent. Be it either way, your argumentation sounds familiar. How about Turkey and writer Orhan Pamuk who is currently on trial for "insulting the Turkish identity"? How about Belarus and their dictator Lukashenko who has totally shut down the opposition and the free press. And Russia, where president Putin has claimed that they have their own version of democracy and so what if the government-critisizing media has been systematically shut down. I'm not even going to mention the countries that have been "officially" labeled as non-democratic. Does this sound "American" to you ? That is where you're heading with this "if you're not with us, you're against us" rhetoric.
I am offended by some people who decry the questionable treatment of Terrorist detainees while ignoring the fact that innocent people are being beheaded by those same terrorists they seek to protect.
From the terrorists' point of view what they are doing is rightful vengeance. I can't imagine what flying planes into buildings and killing a few thousands civilians is a vengeance for, but I'm definitely not surprised about the beheadings after Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and the secret CIA prisons. By using torture and humiliation as means of interrogation the image of America as the defender of freedom and justice has lost all its credibility. You have lowered yourselves to the level of the jihadists and given them a chance to say "see, we told you they're the demon and here you see the proof".
"The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas-a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated." - Ronald Reagan
This is exactly what I am talking about - the War on Terror cannot be won by violence, it can only be won by holding your values and applying them justfully. You won't be able to win back the hearts of those who already have committed themselves to the path of terrorism, but you can prevent them from poisoning the next generation by showing that you are serious, and holding to your beliefs.
Right now, you're doing quite the opposite.
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