GL1800Riders Forums banner

Something to Ponder

5K views 50 replies 34 participants last post by  bmoore106 
#1 ·
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 same magazine that employs Michael (Qurans in the toilets at Gitmo) Isikoff.

Here I promised myself this week I would be nice and I start off in this way!

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 % of Americans are unhappy with the direction he country is headed and 69 % 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 starting thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity & running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer & heating in the
winter?

Could it be that 95.4 % of these unhappy folks have a job?

Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time & 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 involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, 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 having a fire, a group
of trained firefighters will appear in moments & 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 & a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you & your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood
free of bombs or militias raping & pillaging the residents.

Neighborhoods where 90% 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 & has no plan to get us out?

The president who has a measly 31% 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 brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The Commander-In-Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq & Afghanistan have VOLUNTEERED to serve, & in many cases 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 & 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% of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads & they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood & guts.
How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this & media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells.
Just ask why they are going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did .

Insane!

Stop buying the negative venom 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.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:

''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, social
freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time
by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down unsullied to our children and theirs.''

I suggest we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future
generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance.

If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation.''

A far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy.

Enough said!

AMEN

Author unknown
 
See less See more
#4 ·
Maybe its the right that you have to ride unhindered from state to state or wherever you want in this great country, or have enough food to eat, a place to live and stay warm or cool.

Maybe you need to read between the lines and and think about it a little bit. JMHO. Even if it has nothing to do with motorcycles it is still a good post and makes you think about why you are unhappy. I for one am not unhappy with all that goes on here. I love living here and would rather live here than any other place on this earth. As bad a place as many want to make it, it is still the best place to live.

I liked the post and thank you for posting it. Thats all I have to say
re-guarding anything that I said.

God bless America and those that defend (defended) it.
 
#6 ·
I am unhappy.

My son volunteered for 4 years - that was up last August.

He has been in Afghanistan since Jan last year.

His company's replacements arrived, assumed my son's company's duties, and my son was to fly out yesterday to Kandahar, then to Kuwait, then leave for the states tomorrow.

They come in yesterday while all packed up and ready to leave and tell them they are not coming back to the states until June. Can you imagine how devastated they were as well as the families back home?

My son gladly accepted the 8 month service extension beyond what he volunteered for (they keep them another 3+ months after they return to the states too). Now it will likely be a full year beyond what he volunteered for by the time he gets out - and to tell them that the same day they are suppose to be coming home after counting down the days for months.
What is the difference between forcibly extending the service of a VOLUNTEER and drafting someone??? We are abusing the patriotism of our volunteers so Mr Bush does not have to take the political hit for a draft. The way I figure it only 75% of our forces are volunteer, the rest are drafted exclusively from the armed forces by extending their service.

It is not right.

I am happy to be an American and live in the greatest country in the world - it was this way long before Bush and will be so long after he is gone but it is clear to me our leadership has us in a situation they cannot manage when they abuse our troops in the manner they are doing now.

Raise you hand if you honestly believe the middle east will be better in 6 months or in 6 years? We are just throwing gas on the flames over there - they cannot live with each other much less the rest of the world.

I apologize but this came at a very bad moment for me and I generally avoid political discussions at all cost.

I am just terribly disappointed not to have my son coming back home after he has already served proudly and honorably above and beyond his commitment.

God bless all of our troops - they deserve better
 
#8 ·
24 Carat
Good Post and I do ride a bike thru some of those states.

Dave
 
#9 ·
24 Carat said:
In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.
Could it be that 95.4 % of these unhappy folks have a job?
They didn't have to go.
So why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69% of Americans?
Adjusted for inflation, I'm earning a little over 35% of what I earned in 1984. I've been laid-off as my jobs went over seas and south.
America no longer produces; we consume and serve. Great economy; welcome to Walmart.
Yes. Our troops volunteered to go to Iraq because they were lied to.

Keep wagging the dog. I want a big change.
 
#10 ·
I read through that list of things to be grateful for and I realize that the author of this is a perfect example of part of the problem. While this person can afford all these things, he is obviously not aware of the millions of people who can't afford to do those things.

It is great that this author can celebrate riding from coast to coast and back. Unfortunately, many Americans can no longer do that. They have to be content when their car can make it to work and back home every day without breaking down! The cost of a cross country trip far exceeds what many Americans can afford.

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The average American's standard of living has been going through a steady decline for a number of years. Layoffs are causing forclosures in record numbers. Personally, I have gone 6 years without a raise in my job, even though the the company posts near record sales and profits nearly every quarter. Upper management gets all the pay increases.

We are being taxed to death and not getting our moneys worth in return. Government waste is out of control. Bush has a lot of nerve giving away billions of dollars to rebuild a country like Iraq which already has resources that would enable them to do it themselves, even though our own country has a problem funding its own problems.

There is a lot to be disatisfied about the direction the country is headed. The "well to do" who don't think so just have their heads in the sand and are oblivious to what is going on around them.
 
#11 ·
More "who's to blame?" Most everyone want to make sure that it is understood that it's not their fault. This country has been off course for much longer than the last 5 or 10 or even 30 years. We're the Kings of "it's all about me" and until that immature (the ME-MEs are usually the teenage years) mindset changes, I don't think much in this country will change.

JMHO

Andy
 
#12 ·
Well said 24 caret. I have always said that the other guy ( government / big company ) have little impact on my well being. Its really in my hands. I love a comfortable middle class life because I work hard and learn from my screw ups. Its easy to sit back and complain but entirely another matter to step and make a change. Most don't have the backbone.

Joker guy,

Your son is a hero. Next time you write or speak, send him my best wishes. Post his address and I will do it my self if you like. I do not have a son serving, but I do have a younger brother that I helped raise. He spent almost a year in Baghdad. I prayed every day for his safe return. Our happy day eventually came and your will too. I will keep your son in my prayers.
 
#13 ·
LarryM said:
I read through that list of things to be grateful for and I realize that the author of this is a perfect example of part of the problem. While this person can afford all these things, he is obviously not aware of the millions of people who can't afford to do those things.

It is great that this author can celebrate riding from coast to coast and back. Unfortunately, many Americans can no longer do that. They have to be content when their car can make it to work and back home every day without breaking down! The cost of a cross country trip far exceeds what many Americans can afford.

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The average American's standard of living has been going through a steady decline for a number of years. Layoffs are causing forclosures in record numbers. Personally, I have gone 6 years without a raise in my job, even though the the company posts near record sales and profits nearly every quarter. Upper management gets all the pay increases.

We are being taxed to death and not getting our moneys worth in return. Government waste is out of control. Bush has a lot of nerve giving away billions of dollars to rebuild a country like Iraq which already has resources that would enable them to do it themselves, even though our own country has a problem funding its own problems.

There is a lot to be disatisfied about the direction the country is headed. The "well to do" who don't think so just have their heads in the sand and are oblivious to what is going on around them.
I'm not sure where to start my post. I respect one "FREEDOM" to post, but I also hope that this response to LarryM's post is also respected.

I'm not sure what the complainers want in a country. The "millions" who can't afford to be involved in the freedoms have made that choice. I remember when cross-country trips were almost free. Yes, free. You stood on the side of the road and "thumbed" across the country. Do people not know that the cost of gasoline is cheaper today than it was in 1966, relatively speaking. Managing funds and having budgets is a key to having the opportunity of criss-crossing the country.

This deal about the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer might be true. I don't have the data to say one way or another. However, I councel with people everyday about their financial situation. Every person in this God-given country has the opportunity to simply build their own business with the smallest of investment of funds, but with a hugh investment of a big heart to help others do the same. The answers I get is "that's not for me" They turn around and complain they are broke. Give me a break. Anyone who goes 6 years without a raise is stuck in a rut. There must be some sort of glue that prevents you from looking for some other opportunity.

As far as the direction our country is going. did someone forget we were attacted in 2001 and it's our duty to insure that our way of life moves forward as best it can. I want everyone to know that terror is here to stay. We can hide our heads in the sand and compain that our young men and women are sacrificing their lives for nothing, but I believe the price we pay is worth every life. That is the price we must pay because if we do not oppose the enemy, the "FREEDOMS" we have right now will be gone.

Talking about terror, it will culminate in Israel one day. Yes, I believe that terror is something we will be living with until God takes his people home. You can believe this or not, but I've resoved this to be true and it is something I can live with. Now do you resolve to continue to "complain" that we don't have what we used to have. Every person is driving their own destiny.

Just my thoughts. Oh, by the way, I'm holding off on the chrome wheels so I can travel across the country on my Goldwing this coming summer.

Has anyone ever noticed the Escalade with these $5,000 tires and wheels sitting in front of a mobile home on the south side of town. then they complain because their only job is part time at Wal Mart. Is this a problem?
 
#14 ·
His handle, "24 Carat" pretty much says it all.
 
#15 ·
I agree...I believe we are in the entitlement generation, "you owe me a job, a place to live, blah, blah, blah " . I see this in those that apply for jobs with me and everywhere. We do have alot to be thankful for, I served for many years defending our country and would do so again in a heart beat. I believe everyone has a civil duty to defend and protect our country and to ensure freedom is prevalent not only here but throughout the world. We have been blessed as a nation and those blessings should be shared...As far as wages going down, jobs going away etc, etc, etc we do have control in most cases over our direction in life. wether it be through continuing education, expanding job skills etc. We need to change and adjust on a regular basis as the world does or we will get left behind....jmo

Giz
 
#16 ·
No one has mentioned the millions of Americans that do not have medical coverage because they can't afford it. How many Americans do you think would have free medical care with the 300 Billions that our President is spending on barbarians? 300 thousand millions!

The unemployed rate is high, the number of homeless Americans are growing each day, yet he sees fit to spend 300 Billions on a country that will return to the stone age once we are gone.

A tax break? Oh, come on! He put $600 dollars in my pocket (whooppie), but awarded his rich friends with millions.

I'm not happy in the least with the current administration. We could take care of a lot of domestic problems with what he's spending in Iraq!

I served during the Vietnam conflict, and have lost a nephew in Iraq. I will be willing to defend our soil to the death.

Some Americans hated President Clinton for "lying" for what he did with Monica, but it's okay to loose so many American soldiers and Billions of our tax dollars over the lye of finding Weapons of Mass Distructions! I have a problem with that?
 
#17 ·
I was not polled and nobody asked me if I was unhappy. I am not! Life is good in this U S of A. We need people to realize that riding a bike unhindered across this country is a privelage not a rite.
I did not volunteer for Viet Nam, but ended up there. I hope that every one in the military returns home safe, but that is not the nature of war.
 
#18 ·
Italian Stallion said:
No one has mentioned the millions of Americans that do not have medical coverage because they can't afford it. How many Americans do you think would have free medical care with the 300 Billions that our President is spending on barbarians? 300 thousand millions!

The unemployed rate is high, the number of homeless Americans are growing each day, yet he sees fit to spend 300 Billions on a country that will return to the stone age once we are gone.

A tax break? Oh, come on! He put $600 dollars in my pocket (whooppie), but awarded his rich friends with millions.

I'm not happy in the least with the current administration. We could take care of a lot of domestic problems with what he's spending in Iraq!

I served during the Vietnam conflict, and have lost a nephew in Iraq. I will be willing to defend our soil to the death.

Some Americans hated President Clinton for "lying" for what he did with Monica, but it's okay to loose so many American soldiers and Billions of our tax dollars over the lye of finding Weapons of Mass Distructions! I have a problem with that?
Where is unemployment high? If you know someone who needs a job send them to West Texas. We have 24 hr. convenience stores that close at night because there is no one to work at them. All businesses are having a hard time finding people to work.
 
#19 ·
Your fault.

If you are poor it is because of the choices you have made in your life. Your life is your responsibility. Don't complain if you are poor because you failed to pay attention and learn in school. Don't complain you are poor if you failed to develope job skills to better yourself. Don't complain you are poor when the first thing on your grocery list is beer and chips. Poor people are poor because they KEEP doing things to stay poor. Rich people are rich because they KEEP doing things to stay rich.
 
#21 ·
Re: Your fault.

Captain Dan said:
If you are poor it is because of the choices you have made in your life. Your life is your responsibility. Don't complain if you are poor because you failed to pay attention and learn in school. Don't complain you are poor if you failed to develope job skills to better yourself.
I did very well in school, have an IQ in the top 1% of our nation, and have still managed to get laid-off when companies outsourced to India & China.
Then I joined the unemployed masses and was called "over qualified".
Now I'm cheerfully under-employed and managed by under-qualified & over-paid...
I'm not poor but I'm pissed.
 
#22 ·
JokerGuy said:
I am unhappy.

My son volunteered for 4 years - that was up last August.

He has been in Afghanistan since Jan last year.

His company's replacements arrived, assumed my son's company's duties, and my son was to fly out yesterday to Kandahar, then to Kuwait, then leave for the states tomorrow.

They come in yesterday while all packed up and ready to leave and tell them they are not coming back to the states until June. Can you imagine how devastated they were as well as the families back home?

My son gladly accepted the 8 month service extension beyond what he volunteered for (they keep them another 3+ months after they return to the states too). Now it will likely be a full year beyond what he volunteered for by the time he gets out - and to tell them that the same day they are suppose to be coming home after counting down the days for months.
What is the difference between forcibly extending the service of a VOLUNTEER and drafting someone??? We are abusing the patriotism of our volunteers so Mr Bush does not have to take the political hit for a draft. The way I figure it only 75% of our forces are volunteer, the rest are drafted exclusively from the armed forces by extending their service.

It is not right.

...

God bless all of our troops - they deserve better
Joker,

I feel you pain, My son is serving as well and have been extended. I server for over 20 years (Currently in the Fleet reserve and subject to recall to active duty).

One thing we must understand is that anybody entering the military for the first time may sign for 2-6 years active duty, BUT the contract is actually for 8 years part of the time is schedule for inactive duty. The President has the authority to utilize that inactive time as Active Duty. This is the part that most people do not read on thier enlistment - reenlistment contracts....

I will finally retire and be done with my obligation in 4 days. I will be officially retired with 30 years. The few pay the price for the liberty and freedom of the many.

GOD bless your son and the rest of the volunteers who un-volunteerably extended doing what they freely agreed to do.
 
#23 ·
Smitty said:
What the hell has this got to do with motorcycles?
It has to do with General discussion about being an American and the price of freedom that we enjoy....

If you don't like the post don't open it.... You are FREE to choose not to read it because you are an AMERICAN.
 
#24 ·
After reading all the posts to this point i think that maybe some of us have forgotten what is was like across the pond or never went. Now granted that there are things wrong in the USA however having spent 20 years in the Navy and Air Force and having been stationed over seas i will take the USA over ANY other place on earth. You may not be able to drive across country because the car is in poor conditon but you Have a car most people across the pond don't even have a car (they walk), sorry that you are having trouble taking care of your house, but at least you have a house, they may not have anything to live in. If you don't have a job, try looking for one, you will not start at the top and work your way to the bottom it is the other way round, so you will not get $50 an hr. you get $6 an hr. which is better than 0 an hr. there are jobs out there, don't be on welfare and tell me that i owe you because you are poor, i am all ready paying for every thing you have with my taxes. Those over there would love to have a car to cross through those states, house, job and freedom to worship how they want without worrying about whether your neighborh will try to kill you because he does not agree that you have the right god because it is not the same god he worships. There are only a few other countries where you would even come close to the freedoms that we have in the USA. If we sit back on our hands and try talking to all of the terroists then then you will have blowing your front door down so that they can kill you and every one that you know and care about because you don't beleive the same as they do. JMHO
 
#25 ·
Silver spoon

In Ohio waiters and bartenders make a whopping $2.30 per hour. These poor souls are not, I repeat, not counted as unemployed. They are under-employed. They are deliberately kept from working full time so that their employers don't have to pay benefits or minimum wage. So they have to work 2 jobs.
Your first point, that Newsweek Magazine falsified a poll is without merit. How about CNN, ABC, NBC, and 20 other's polls that conclude the same thing? Has Hannity, Rush, or any other neo-con conducted a poll that I haven't seen? I just bet that if they conducted a poll in your gated comunity they would get a different result.
Electricity, safe to drink running water, air conditioning? I think you had better check with your fellow citizens in the gulf states that are still feeling the effects of a storm that happened 2 years ago.
Home ownership is 70% for whites. 52% for Blacks, 40% for hispanics. Do you think that all the apartments you pass every day in you Lexus are empty?
You remind me of the queen who said, "They don't have any bread? Well then, let them eat cake!"
 
#26 ·
Re: Silver spoon

jbivens544 said:
In Ohio waiters and bartenders make a whopping $2.30 per hour. These poor souls are not, I repeat, not counted as unemployed. They are under-employed. They are deliberately kept from working full time so that their employers don't have to pay benefits or minimum wage. So they have to work 2 jobs.......
Minimum wage applies to full or part-time workers.
Who is Covered

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes standards for minimum wages, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor. These standards affect more than 100 million workers, both full‑time and part‑time, in the private and public sectors.
.
.
.
Employers may pay employees on a piece‑rate basis, as long as they receive at least the equivalent of the required minimum hourly wage rate. Employers of tipped employees (i.e., those who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips) may consider such tips as part of their wages, but employers must pay a direct wage of at least $2.13 per hour if they claim a tip credit. They must also meet certain other conditions.
Tips count against wages, that's why they get away with paying them less than the minimum.

I agree with you though, even minimum wage is just barely above the poverty level.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top