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OB
09-20-2007, 02:35 PM
PATHETIC NEGATIVITY
Jay Leno puts it into perspective and makes us think about the pathetic negativity. Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see....


"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 are we 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 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 peoples 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 excuses 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


__________________________________________________ _______________

This was emailed to me - dont know if Leno said it or not but it doesnt matter - kinda makes you stop and think - doesnt it

Slick
09-20-2007, 04:58 PM
This was e-mailed to me a few months ago. I found it very interesting.

I think the real problem is TV. It's all doom and gloom.

Too many people get all their information this source and take for granted the things the US has to offer it's citizens.

I miss a lot of things about living in the States, but the negativity is not one of them.

Good post 420. Thanks for sharing that.:salute:

Tned
09-20-2007, 06:29 PM
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/l/leno%20commentary.htm

It wasn't actually written by Leno.

kcvet
09-20-2007, 07:00 PM
if their unhappy just go visit another country. they'll come back home at mach 3 speed.

Requiem / The Dagda
09-20-2007, 08:21 PM
People have the right to be critical of the direction of this country. I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm blessed to be able to go to school and live in a world where I don't have to worry about things millions, if not billions of other people have to. I wake up every morning knowing I have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and friends and family to be there with me. Some people don't have that.

Do I think sometimes we take it for granted? Absolutely. However, we also have the rights as citizens here to stand up for what we believe in and fight the battles we see worth fighting. If people don't ask questions, you'll never find answers. The day we lose our ability to think for ourselves and be independent is the day we lose everything.

kcvet
09-20-2007, 08:38 PM
People have the right to be critical of the direction of this country. I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm blessed to be able to go to school and live in a world where I don't have to worry about things millions, if not billions of other people have to. I wake up every morning knowing I have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and friends and family to be there with me. Some people don't have that.

Do I think sometimes we take it for granted? Absolutely. However, we also have the rights as citizens here to stand up for what we believe in and fight the battles we see worth fighting. If people don't ask questions, you'll never find answers. The day we lose our ability to think for ourselves and be independent is the day we lose everything.

our fighting men and women could not have said it better. they are our insurance policy for freedom.

Slick
09-20-2007, 08:45 PM
People have the right to be critical of the direction of this country. I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm blessed to be able to go to school and live in a world where I don't have to worry about things millions, if not billions of other people have to. I wake up every morning knowing I have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and friends and family to be there with me. Some people don't have that.

Do I think sometimes we take it for granted? Absolutely. However, we also have the rights as citizens here to stand up for what we believe in and fight the battles we see worth fighting. If people don't ask questions, you'll never find answers. The day we lose our ability to think for ourselves and be independent is the day we lose everything.

Excellent post Dream. I couldn't agree more.

OB
09-20-2007, 11:36 PM
1. I put at the end I dont know if it was Leno - so why does everyone keep pointing that out

2. Who care who said it - its the thought that matters not the person who said it

3. Why do people feel the need to nit pick everything in a thread

:coffee:

Tned
09-20-2007, 11:38 PM
1. I put at the end I dont know if it was Leno - so why does everyone keep pointing that out

2. Who care who said it - its the thought that matters not the person who said it

3. Why do people feel the need to nit pick everything in a thread

:coffee:

I thought I was the only one that said it wasn't Leno? :Confused:

I only added that, because it sounded very un-Leno like, so I checked, plus if it was real, I wanted a valid source to send to some friends/coworkers, because the message is good.

So, the message is a good one that people should read, I just thought I should share that Leno wasn't the other.

Cleveland Rocks
09-21-2007, 12:12 AM
I would love to respond to this.

But, I am afraid it isn't in P&R.

Tned
09-21-2007, 12:13 AM
I would love to respond to this.

But, I am afraid it isn't in P&R.

Thanks for the restraint.

OB
09-21-2007, 12:14 AM
I would love to respond to this.

But, I am afraid it isn't in P&R.

Wrong board

j/k:ahhhhh:

Requiem / The Dagda
09-21-2007, 11:40 AM
3. Why do people feel the need to nit pick everything in a thread

The article left a bad taste in my mouth, that's why.

topscribe
09-21-2007, 12:03 PM
People have the right to be critical of the direction of this country. I thank my lucky stars every day that I'm blessed to be able to go to school and live in a world where I don't have to worry about things millions, if not billions of other people have to. I wake up every morning knowing I have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and friends and family to be there with me. Some people don't have that.

Do I think sometimes we take it for granted? Absolutely. However, we also have the rights as citizens here to stand up for what we believe in and fight the battles we see worth fighting. If people don't ask questions, you'll never find answers. The day we lose our ability to think for ourselves and be independent is the day we lose everything.
Some of those things didn't seem to occur to me when I was your age. It's
easy to become sequestered in our environment of luxury and relative
freedom and security and to take it for granted, as you implied. I'm
encouraged to see this perspicuity in you.

However, we must remain grateful in "bad" times, as well as good. It is easy
to be grateful when all is going well. But when things seem to be going
down the tubes, it takes a little more character to remember our gratitude.

I meant this generically, not at you, BTW.

-----

OB
09-21-2007, 02:26 PM
The article left a bad taste in my mouth, that's why.

Well it was meant to be read not eaten :smack:

And why would an article telling most people (maybe not you - it did say 67%) to stop bytchin and moanin and be thankful for what you have, leave a bad taste in your mouth?

The article didnt say - sit idly by and let the govt do as they please, its just saying maybe we, as Americans, need to stop and look at what we do have and stop complaining about not having enough - ie the whiny brat you see throwing a tantrum in the middle of WalMart cause he wants a PS3 now cause his PS2 is just not good enough anymore or the people at xmas fighting to get the latest video game system - people literally punching and kicking for a game

Maybe we just interpret the article differently - I didnt take it as the person telling me to not voice my opinion if I feel Ive been wronged or a grievance has occurred, I took it as sometimes we need to stop complaining about the petty BS

Requiem / The Dagda
09-21-2007, 02:35 PM
Well it was meant to be read not eaten :smack:

I'd print it on toilet paper!


And why would an article telling most people (maybe not you - it did say 67%) to stop bytchin and moanin and be thankful for what you have, leave a bad taste in your mouth?

I am one of those people who is critical of where our country is headed, politically and socially. I have issue with that, I took it in the context that I'm not allowed to voice displeasure. I can be thankful for what I have, but question some of the things going on here.

We all do. That's life. People ask questions. To each his own, right?


Maybe we just interpret the article differently - I didnt take it as the person telling me to not voice my opinion if I feel Ive been wronged or a grievance has occurred, I took it as sometimes we need to stop complaining about the petty BS

I think it's ironic having an article "bitching" about people "bitching" . . . how does that make sense?

Different strokes for different folks. . .

bengaaaaals1688
09-21-2007, 02:55 PM
Well it was meant to be read not eaten :smack:

And why would an article telling most people (maybe not you - it did say 67%) to stop bytchin and moanin and be thankful for what you have, leave a bad taste in your mouth?

The article didnt say - sit idly by and let the govt do as they please, its just saying maybe we, as Americans, need to stop and look at what we do have and stop complaining about not having enough - ie the whiny brat you see throwing a tantrum in the middle of WalMart cause he wants a PS3 now cause his PS2 is just not good enough anymore or the people at xmas fighting to get the latest video game system - people literally punching and kicking for a game

Maybe we just interpret the article differently - I didnt take it as the person telling me to not voice my opinion if I feel Ive been wronged or a grievance has occurred, I took it as sometimes we need to stop complaining about the petty BS

But the PS3 is so much better... PS2 is so outdated... I needed the PS3.:D

As for the article... I agree to an extent. And I say to an extent only because this is a "supposedly" free country and we are allowed to voice our opinions. Yeah people may take a lot of stuff for granted, but then again how many people in this world don't take breathing for granted?? Everyone takes things for granted... it is how the society we live in(including other countries) is now. Yes a lot of people in the poorer places in Africa and stuff probably don't take things such as breathing for granted, but the majority of people in this world do just because it always happens. People don't really notice things until they are forced to, and because of that there will always be people questioning more than there will be people just being happy with what they already have.