Recently, while driving down 27, not far outside of Oxford, I noticed the truck in front of me was sporting a “Kerry lost – get over it” bumper sticker. Also featured in the back window of this rusted out monster was a Confederate flag.
Is anyone else picking up on the irony?
Now, I’ll confess, I haven’t taken a history class for quite some time now, but I did see Gettysburg, and I am pretty sure that those states south of the Ohio River (the Mason-Dixon Line) are still part of the Union. I’m also pretty sure that the Confederacy lost the war. So, Mr. Truck Driver, maybe you should take your own advice.
Get over it.
Of course, the fact that the confederacy lost should be the least of your reasons for not displaying the Navy Jack. These reasons should be similar to those that explain why it’s generally considered socially unacceptable to go out lynching “coloreds” these days.
Mr. Truck Driver would probably say something along the lines of, “That flag doesn’t represent hate – it’s part of my heritage. My great grandpappy died fighting for that flag.”
Well, good for him – your “great grandpappy” was racist.
The Civil War, no matter how you slice it, revolved around the issue of slavery. When Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party – the first major party committed to end the expansion of slavery – took control of the executive branch in 1861, seven states seceded. What did they all have in common? Each one was chock-full of plantations operated by slaves.
So, anyone who says they wave that flag to honor their southern heritage, or that of their ancestors, is either confused, naïve, or an idiot – or, more than likely, a combination of all three.
There are plenty of people in Germany that fought, or are related to those who fought in the German military during World War II. But do you see Hans putting around in his Volkswagen with a swastika in the back window?
Of course not, the swastika is a symbol of hate and most rational people, aside from a few lunatics, do their best to avoid association with it.
So, next time you’re thinking about slapping a Confederate flag on the tail of your car, maybe you should take it all the way. I mean, why stop there? You could hang your Klan hood from the rear view mirror and maybe even sport a chromed out burning cross hood ornament.
But then again, the South lost – so get over it.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
Hello?
So, I don't have a lot to say right now - I'm working on another lengthy entree right now - but, something has been bugging me.
Anyone who has been watching the news for the past week or so has undoubtedly heard about North Korea's missle tests. If you haven't, look it up. Anyhow, my point is that it seems odd that on every major holiday and every time al quaeda farts the wrong way (especially around election time), we go on "amber alert". But, when a nutcase in N. Korea starts testing inter-continental balistic missles (ICBMs) that have the potential to reach Alaska and the West coast of the United States, you don't hear jack shit out of the boys in Washington.
Anyway, just throwing it out there.
Cheers.
Anyone who has been watching the news for the past week or so has undoubtedly heard about North Korea's missle tests. If you haven't, look it up. Anyhow, my point is that it seems odd that on every major holiday and every time al quaeda farts the wrong way (especially around election time), we go on "amber alert". But, when a nutcase in N. Korea starts testing inter-continental balistic missles (ICBMs) that have the potential to reach Alaska and the West coast of the United States, you don't hear jack shit out of the boys in Washington.
Anyway, just throwing it out there.
Cheers.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Why can't we all just play soccer?
What does America have against football?
And by football, of course, I mean soccer — the one that actually involves a foot and a ball.
In 2002, more than 62 million people tuned in to watch Brazil beat Germany, 2-0, in the FIFA World Cup. Overall, an estimated 1.5 billion people watched the month-long tournament with South Korea leading the pack in enthusiasm with a measured 16 percent of the population watching the games.
The United States, however, could boast only a measly 1 percent — falling in toward the bottom in terms of enthusiasm. And now in 2006, with the World Cup being held in Germany, we really seem only marginally more excited.
Clearly this doesn’t stem from a lack of interest in sports — virtually every major city in this country has a professional sports team.
The truth is, as Americans, we tend to focus on ourselves. We have a habit of distancing ourselves and dehumanizing other cultures and societies that we might not entirely understand.
As the war in Iraq continues, it’s not unusual to turn on the evening news and hear a story about some Marines killed in a skirmish with insurgents or at the hands of an Improvised Explosive Devic. But, outside of the recent controversy in Haditha, where a few Marines are being investigated for covering up the murder of 24 Iraqi civilians, when is the last time anything more than a brief comment was said about Iraqis, civilian or otherwise, dying?
Oh, that’s right; they’re usually listed under “collateral damage.”
You might hear a politician say something along the lines of, “Every day, more and more of America’s sons and daughters are being killed in Iraq .” But have you ever heard that followed up with, “And holy cow! Look at all those dead Iraqis!”?
Of course not. Politicians want to affect people. And if the American people don’t concern themselves with the humanity of collateral damage, then congressmen aren’t going to waste their breath.
The most damaging side of this attitude, however, is not on the part of the media or politicians, but from the soldiers in Iraq — those Americans who have direct contact with Iraqis on a daily basis.
In a Washington Post article, an Iraqi lawyer involved in the Haditha massacre case summed up how his countrymen feel.
“ Iraqis have become like dogs in the eyes of Americans.’’
Can you blame him?
Our biggest ally in ending this war is cooperation between the Iraqi people and U.S. forces — something that cannot and will not happen without at least a minor understanding and acknowledgement of one another as peers.
Understanding builds trust and a mutual trust would undoubtedly relieve much of the unnecessary violence that is taking place all over the world on a regular basis.
We’ll see what happens.
Until then — I’ll be watching soccer.
And by football, of course, I mean soccer — the one that actually involves a foot and a ball.
In 2002, more than 62 million people tuned in to watch Brazil beat Germany, 2-0, in the FIFA World Cup. Overall, an estimated 1.5 billion people watched the month-long tournament with South Korea leading the pack in enthusiasm with a measured 16 percent of the population watching the games.
The United States, however, could boast only a measly 1 percent — falling in toward the bottom in terms of enthusiasm. And now in 2006, with the World Cup being held in Germany, we really seem only marginally more excited.
Clearly this doesn’t stem from a lack of interest in sports — virtually every major city in this country has a professional sports team.
The truth is, as Americans, we tend to focus on ourselves. We have a habit of distancing ourselves and dehumanizing other cultures and societies that we might not entirely understand.
As the war in Iraq continues, it’s not unusual to turn on the evening news and hear a story about some Marines killed in a skirmish with insurgents or at the hands of an Improvised Explosive Devic. But, outside of the recent controversy in Haditha, where a few Marines are being investigated for covering up the murder of 24 Iraqi civilians, when is the last time anything more than a brief comment was said about Iraqis, civilian or otherwise, dying?
Oh, that’s right; they’re usually listed under “collateral damage.”
You might hear a politician say something along the lines of, “Every day, more and more of America’s sons and daughters are being killed in Iraq .” But have you ever heard that followed up with, “And holy cow! Look at all those dead Iraqis!”?
Of course not. Politicians want to affect people. And if the American people don’t concern themselves with the humanity of collateral damage, then congressmen aren’t going to waste their breath.
The most damaging side of this attitude, however, is not on the part of the media or politicians, but from the soldiers in Iraq — those Americans who have direct contact with Iraqis on a daily basis.
In a Washington Post article, an Iraqi lawyer involved in the Haditha massacre case summed up how his countrymen feel.
“ Iraqis have become like dogs in the eyes of Americans.’’
Can you blame him?
Our biggest ally in ending this war is cooperation between the Iraqi people and U.S. forces — something that cannot and will not happen without at least a minor understanding and acknowledgement of one another as peers.
Understanding builds trust and a mutual trust would undoubtedly relieve much of the unnecessary violence that is taking place all over the world on a regular basis.
We’ll see what happens.
Until then — I’ll be watching soccer.
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