Friday, August 31, 2012

An Old Marine..Tired But Still Fighting

                                                 
As we get closer and closer to November 6th it seems a good time to remember how important it is that Americans get out there and vote.  As I think back to four years ago I think about the difference in "message" we get from a President that promised hope and change, an end to dirty and divisive politics, and the promise to unite us, not divide us.  We've all seen how that's turned out.

I've written hundreds of articles about my concerns about the direction our nation has taken.  None of them are as articulate in explaining our frustrations and aspirations as one that an old marine wrote a few years ago.  Mr. Robert Hall spoke so eloquently for millions of us in his now renown essay, simply titled "I'm Tired".  His words follow:


"I'm Tired" by Robert A. Hall

I'll be 63 soon. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce, and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked, hard, since I was 18 Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and  I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth around" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to  people too lazy or stupid to earn it. I'm tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes." Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I'm willing to help But if they bought  Mansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I'm tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros, and Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of 
Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence ofMexico, the tolerance for Christian people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela. Won't multiculturalism be beautiful?

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "
Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers" ; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'anand Shari'a law tells them to. I believe "a man should be judged by the content of his character, not by the color of his skin." I'm tired of being told that "race doesn't matter" in the post-racial world ofObama, when it's all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of US Senators from Illinois.

I think it's very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the 
emancipation proclamation. I just wish the black president wasCondi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I'm tired of a news media that thinks Bush's fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama's, at triple the cost, were wonderful. That thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress, that picked over every line of Bush's military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his, that slammed Palin, with two years as  governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially  the best president ever. I Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to 
Fox News ?   Get a clue.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let 
Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue, or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight 
global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three -bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about  5% of Al Gore's, and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough for me.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don't think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs.

And I'm tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana. I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "
undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren't working, but are living on welfare or crime.  What's next?  Calling drug dealers,   Undocumented Pharmacists"?  And, no, I'm not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it's been a  few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I'm  willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak  English, doesn't have  a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military... Those are the citizens we need.

I'm tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years-and still are?

Not even close. So here's the deal. I'll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded 
Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins inLebanon, or the Muslims who ran the  blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we'll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I'm tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers-bums are bipartisan.  And I'm tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois, where the "Illinois Combine" of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama's cabinet as well.

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers, and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught..    

I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor. Speaking of poor, I' m tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn't have that in 1970, but we didn't know we were "poor." The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing   I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and  actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination, or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my grandchildren.

Note:  Robert's blog can be found here:  http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I, too am tired. I am tired of the things mentioned above. I am tired of the division. Im tired of those screaming racism when in fact it is they who are the real haters and racist. I am tired of being lied to by both parties. I am very tired of laws not being enforced. But if I do something wrong I am hit hard.
I try to live my life in a manner that is very much "live and let live". But I find myself wanting to lash out now because of all the shit I have had to endure the last 4 yrs. Just because I dont agree with the president policies does not make me a racist as some have claimed. Because I want the border enforced does not make me a racist. Because I believe in OUR founding documents does not make me a racist. I have Hollywood liberals telling me I am stupid because I dont subscribe to "their" hive mentality while they try to get my money.
I understand where this country is heading. It is no longer right vs left or repub vs dem. Like it or not, it is very much authoritarianism vs libertarianism. The idea of individualism and liberty is being killed off. The fact that I have not heard 1 word from Mitt or Ryan about stopping the TSA only proves my point. Thats just one example.
I, too am tired. The people need to rise up and take this country back. Restore it to a government of the people and for the people. That is not going to happen. You either believe in the founding docs or you dont. There is no half way on this. Those docs were not written with a political slant. Its simple. Liberty for all! And OUR govt has been limited in its power. But that hasnt stopped them. And we havent stopped them either.
I am tired. Raising kids and trying to build a business (that this "president" has told me I didnt build) while trying to safeguard our liberties is a lot of work. I am tired. Maybe it would just be easier if I were a racist.

A Modest Scribler said...

Anon, what is that old saying about "the last refuge of a scoundrel"...well, that's really all the liberals are doing. They are throwing up false accusations because they can never win an argument on the merits of an issue. Yes, I'm very tired to, just like the old marine.

Thanks for taking the time to give your two cents.

Anonymous said...

I too am very tired of politicians of BOTH parties, doing nothing to address the real problems in OUR country. They bicker like school children. What have they done about real jobs(not just $5.00 per hour jobs)... Little to nothing!!

As soon as they are sworn in they start their re-election campaigns.

I tired of politicians who want to keep the poor and unproductive in poverty with free everything at the taxpayers expense, and those who bow the mullas in the churchs and millionaires and huge corporations getting even more tax breaks while shipping our jobs over seas.

I'm sick and tired of OUR country being overrun by law breaking criminal parasites and nothing being about it until states take action to stop it and then the DOJ jumps up and sues them... And the very mention of making the use of E-Verify the law of the land, and punishing employers who employ illegal aliens causes an uproar with "THATS RACIST"... La Raza won't stand for that... I say TOUGH!! The best way to get rid of the illegals is; A) Mandatory use of E-Verify of every job, nationwide. B) NO welare of any kind for those law breakers.. NO bona fide documents.. NO freebies/job. NO reason to be here!!
A special note to ALL politicians everywhere...
We The People are your employers, and WE expect you to do the job WE hired you to do, and that is the work of the people.. NOT the special interests, corporations, and your self enrichment.
If you don't start now, WE will FIRE you.