[Rhodes22-list] Politics

[Herb Parsons]

Yeah, the dog races would probably have been more plesant. Here's the 
inside story, since there's at least a couple voices of reason here.

I get two weeks paid vacation a year. While patriotic motivation wasn't 
the only reason for my decision, it was one of the biggest. This year I 
made a decison to start riding with the Patriot Guard Riders. Every one 
of my "vacation days" this year were spent riding with the PGR. This 
meant that instead of working on my project boat in New Orleans, or 
sailing my boat on Lake Grapevine, I was attending (usually) funerals 
for strangers that I didn't know, or (sometimes) seeing strangers off to 
war, shaking their hands and wishing them well, or welcoming them home 
thanking them for a job well done. Some of the "rides" were for hours in 
freezing cold weather (my first was PGR mission started at 5am with an 
outside temp of 19f degrees), or rain, or 90-100f heat.

I don't say this to heap praise upon myself, because there's about 
120,000 other folks that do the same thing, many of them doing so much 
more and under harsher condistions frequently than I.

However, I DO say it to explain WHY I take it personally when a person 
uses the self-sacrifice of those troops to further their own political 
beliefs.

I doubt that the person in this discussion who accused me of being 
"non-chalant" about the sacrifice these people, and thier families, have 
made has done the same or similar; yet this person throws off a 
statement like that for one reason - to support their political 
viewpoint. But you know, it really doesn't MATTER of that person has 
done the same, the FACT is that said person spoke of my attitude about 
the deaths of others in total ignorance (not knowing my view), and I 
find that disgusting.

I hope you'll pardon me my disdain.

If those that don't see my view want to come stand by me in the on the 
flag line, I'd be happy to stand with them. You don't have to be for or 
against the war, you don't even have to have a motorcycle. I can promise 
you this though, once you've done it once, once you've had the 
mother/wife/husband/daughter/son of one of these hero's look you in the 
eye and thank you for being there, as if what you've done even remotely 
compares to their sacrifice, you'll have a totally different viewpoint. 
Maybe then you'll be a lot less hesitant to use the sacrifice of these 
people to further your petty political statements.

I suspect you'll also come away with a different view of others' alleged 
"non-chalance".

And now, I AM through with the particular little side-thread. If someone 
wants to think ill of my for my view, fine I can live with that. Your 
insults will go ignored by me. If someone understands, thank you for 
your understanding.


Brad Haslett wrote:
> Wow, glad I had to go to work today!  The statement we use in the simulator
> five times an hour is probably appropriate here -
>
> "OK, that problem is over, new day, new jet!"
>
> The idea of going to the dog track this weekend probably is the highest and
> best use of my time.
>
> Brad
>
> On Feb 12, 2008 9:02 PM, Just bent <j.bulfer at jbtek.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Herb, no offense taken here,
>>  I think the way you insult is much more effective than Roberts.
>> Jb
>>
>>
>> hparsons wrote:
>>     
>>> Well, I'll have to give up. Anyone that can't recognize the sarcasm can
>>> hardly be expected to acknowledge their own hypocrisy.
>>>
>>> So, are you going to make implications about my mother, maybe one of my
>>> kids, or have you fully exhausted the depths of your abilities?
>>>
>>> And how about the restu of you folks that were so "offended" by my
>>> posts. Will you really sit there mutely while Robert insults my mother?
>>> At least in my "lowering of standards", I insulted the person directly,
>>> rather than attacking his family.
>>>
>>> I will say this for you Robert, you don't surprise me at all.
>>>
>>> Robert Skinner wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Herb Parsons wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> Hmmm, I don't know. Let me work on it.
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> By all means.  I look forward to your cutting new territory
>>>> in this exchange.  I would rejoice in your getting a "10"
>>>> or two from the judges.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> I guess I'll have to sit back in awe at your amazing level of
>>>>> intelligence and the "high ground" you take.
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> Please don't give up so easily.  I had such hopes...
>>>>
>>>> /Robert
>>>> __________________________________________________
>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> --
>>> Herb Parsons
>>> S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
>>> S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35
>>>
>>> __________________________________________________
>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> --
>> View this message in context:
>> http://www.nabble.com/Politics-tp15426054p15448390.html
>> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>
>> __________________________________________________
>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>
>>     
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>
>   

-- 
Herb Parsons
S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35