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[RND]

Recently, the following article was posted in another thread that was recently closed. It has been suggested that it was  not the intention to post this article as a "political" item. I believe that. I believe the "intent" was not to post a "political" article and expect a "political" outcome. But isn't that being a bit naive?

Here's the piece:

JAY LENO... "HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD"

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

 I know, I know. What about the President who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same President who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it -- are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way -- Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Jay Leno

My question is this. Should someone expect to post a clearly "political" form of speech, in this case an article alleged to have been written by late night comic Jay Leno that actually was written by Craig R. Smith and posted on World Net Daily, a site that discusses "politics," and not have the clearly "political" content commented on?

Now, the rules clearly state that "3 - You also agree to stay within the topic of a particular topic or to start a new topic." Now, if the intentions of the OP are not addressed, or the content posted belies the desired intent of the OP can one expect that the "political" content posted on won't be commented on?

Now, as for my intentions which this post I would simply like to examine this one particular article and the "political" speech it contains simply because it has been insisted by some that this article is not "political" in nature. Clearly, I disagree with that summation.

[RND]

According to the definition of the word POLITICAL on Dictionary.com this article would fall into the category of being "political" speech.

Here's one comment from the article that is clearly debatable and hence falls into the political realm because of the content of it's speech:

"The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?"

Now, it is and can be debated that the "commander in chief" is actually "out there defending you and me." One might properly ask, "defending me from what" or "defending me from whom?" Those are legitimate questions to ask. Obviously, the writer is referring to the war (undeclared, mind you) in Iraq. Yet I have never personally had any kind of beef or problem with any particular Iraqi, thus I have never felt "threatened" by any particular Iraqi.

We were told prior to the war that Iraq was a haven for terrorist and home to huge stockpiles of WMD, which were proven to be false allegations shortly after the war began. We were told that Iraq "possibly" had something to do with 9/11 which was later to be admitted by the President himself to be untrue. Therefore it becomes a legitimate "political" question to ask. What and whom am I being defended from?

[Daryl Fawcett]

Topics of a political nature are being temporarily banned at Advent Talk, therefore, this topic is closed.