Until I read it myself I found it hard to believe. A letter to the editor in the “Daily Illini”, a student newspaper of the University of Illinois, written by David Green, a self described “University Academics Professional”, surpassed all reason and common sense. Further research identifies Green as a Visiting Policy Analyst for the university.
This is what happened. On 9/11 of this year, during a football game at Illinois, there was a brief moment of silence for victims of 9/11 followed by a military flyover. During the flyover the students chanted “USA, USA”. This has become fairly commonplace at sporting events throughout the country and for that matter, not just at sporting events. Well, Professor David Green took offense. He wrote a stinging letter of complaint to the “Daily Illini” accusing the students of bellicosity and all manner of hate toward Muslims. He seems to believe that all Muslims as well as Americans who happen to be Muslims would be offended by such a chant. Why? Are they ashamed of their Americanism? How on earth could love for one’s country offend any citizen of that country? As you might expect, I have a few words for Professor Green.
First of all, I don’t personally care if a Muslim or anyone else is offended by the “USA” chant. If they are, perhaps they should find another place to be. Secondly, I believe that the assumption that anyone, American or anyone else, regardless of his religion, would be offended or frightened by this display of nationalism, is clearly an example of bigotry and racism on Green’s part. If a visitor to our country is offended by our love of country, they should either leave or just abide their discomfort until they have returned to their home. We, Professor Green, have the right to love our country, scream our chants to the top of our lungs, and fly our colors at any time we choose. If that makes you uncomfortable, let me suggest some spots in the world where you may be more at home, such as perhaps, China, North Korea, or maybe even Cuba. I am confident in those places you would never be bothered by any spontaneous display of love of country. You probably would be far too busy trying to stay alive and finding something to eat.
Green’s letter is yet another crystal clear example of political correctness run amok. What further troubles me is that Green and his ilk are teaching this garbage to our kids and grandkids. One does not have to look very far to find other examples of this ridiculous philosophy being practiced. It has become the new religion of Academia.
Professor Green, chanting “USA, USA” is not bellicosity. Flying our flag is not an act of aggression. Having pride in who we are should never offend any true American. According to Green’s letter, he appears to believe that all of our wars are nothing more than state sanctioned murder of innocents. The David Greens of this country will probably never understand that their freedom and their way of life was won in war and is secured and defended by the very warriors who offend him so much. Instead of feeding at the “public trough” as an “academic professional”, perhaps Green should get a real job. It might also be helpful if he associated himself with real people outside of the hallowed halls of “academia”. Maybe then he would come to understand what idiocy he is perpetrating.
Fortunately America has and will survive these kinds of morons. The misguided among us will continue to spew their nonsense, but common sense will prevail. All I have to say to Green and his types is “USA, USA, USA”.
Ron Scarbro September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
WHY CAN'T WE COMPROMISE?
I was recently involved in a discussion with some very delightful ladies and the question that fueled that discussion was why can’t the Democrats and the Republicans just get together and compromise to get things done. What is the reason party politics take precedence over the good of the country? Those are fair questions and while I don’t have all the answers I believe I can shine some light on the subject.
I think all would agree that we are in the middle of what appears to be a serious partisan divide. It may well be a divide of historic and unprecedented proportions. So what to do? What is the role of the everyday citizen? How can I mend this rift?
First of all, Democrats think the way they do because that’s the way Democrats think. Republicans think the way they do because that’s the way Republicans think. If our gridlock were caused just by a difference of opinion based on our political view, that could be overcome. Our gridlock is caused by something more sinister. It would seem that party loyalty has become far more important to our elected representatives than the good of the country. I have come to believe that when a new Congressperson travels to Washington, they are greeted and told the rules. They are told what they have to do to get along as well as get re-elected. To get the plum assignments and the good committees, new people have to toe the line. If they do not, they will disappear from sight and will never be heard from again. Even if they ever had a thought of getting anything done for their district, the only way that could happen is with the support of the party as a whole. So, don’t make waves. Go along to get along. It’s just politics, you see.
Does that sound skeptical to you? Well it is and I am.
One answer does occur to me. Term limits. Let’s get rid of career politicians. Don’t think for a moment that these elected representatives will vote themselves out of office, however. That is not going to happen. What we must do is impose those limits at the polling place. The idea of seniority is repugnant to me. Why should any elected representative have any more power or authority than any other elected official? They all should be on equal footing. I am confident that the Founding Fathers never would have envisioned a Congress like we have now.
I read recently that many candidates are spending tens of millions of dollars of their own money to get these jobs. Why? What’s that all about? With the money they are spending they could buy their own country and proclaim themselves emperor or king or anything else that suits their fancy. What is it about the job that would cause such spending? All I know is that most of the representatives in Washington are millionaires; if not when they get there, certainly when they leave. Alas, more skepticism. Will Rogers once said that we have the finest Congress money can buy, and he said that over a half century ago. Not much has changed, has it? Only the amounts.
In the final analysis it is up to all of us. If you are okay with the direction the country is headed in, kindly disregard my comments. If, however, you see things differently, then you must be heard from. We have serious problems that need serious solutions. We have an economy that continues to sputter. We have nearly double digit unemployment and a border that is more like a sieve than a barrier. These problems are not going to fix themselves. They are going to be fixed by serious representatives who are willing to do the hard work and compromise. They must cross the aisle and be willing to sacrifice what might be best for their party in favor of what is best for the country. Like you, I’ll be watching.
Ron Scarbro
Constitution Day, September 17, 2010
I think all would agree that we are in the middle of what appears to be a serious partisan divide. It may well be a divide of historic and unprecedented proportions. So what to do? What is the role of the everyday citizen? How can I mend this rift?
First of all, Democrats think the way they do because that’s the way Democrats think. Republicans think the way they do because that’s the way Republicans think. If our gridlock were caused just by a difference of opinion based on our political view, that could be overcome. Our gridlock is caused by something more sinister. It would seem that party loyalty has become far more important to our elected representatives than the good of the country. I have come to believe that when a new Congressperson travels to Washington, they are greeted and told the rules. They are told what they have to do to get along as well as get re-elected. To get the plum assignments and the good committees, new people have to toe the line. If they do not, they will disappear from sight and will never be heard from again. Even if they ever had a thought of getting anything done for their district, the only way that could happen is with the support of the party as a whole. So, don’t make waves. Go along to get along. It’s just politics, you see.
Does that sound skeptical to you? Well it is and I am.
One answer does occur to me. Term limits. Let’s get rid of career politicians. Don’t think for a moment that these elected representatives will vote themselves out of office, however. That is not going to happen. What we must do is impose those limits at the polling place. The idea of seniority is repugnant to me. Why should any elected representative have any more power or authority than any other elected official? They all should be on equal footing. I am confident that the Founding Fathers never would have envisioned a Congress like we have now.
I read recently that many candidates are spending tens of millions of dollars of their own money to get these jobs. Why? What’s that all about? With the money they are spending they could buy their own country and proclaim themselves emperor or king or anything else that suits their fancy. What is it about the job that would cause such spending? All I know is that most of the representatives in Washington are millionaires; if not when they get there, certainly when they leave. Alas, more skepticism. Will Rogers once said that we have the finest Congress money can buy, and he said that over a half century ago. Not much has changed, has it? Only the amounts.
In the final analysis it is up to all of us. If you are okay with the direction the country is headed in, kindly disregard my comments. If, however, you see things differently, then you must be heard from. We have serious problems that need serious solutions. We have an economy that continues to sputter. We have nearly double digit unemployment and a border that is more like a sieve than a barrier. These problems are not going to fix themselves. They are going to be fixed by serious representatives who are willing to do the hard work and compromise. They must cross the aisle and be willing to sacrifice what might be best for their party in favor of what is best for the country. Like you, I’ll be watching.
Ron Scarbro
Constitution Day, September 17, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
WHY DO I GO FISHING?
(The following was published in the Newsleader on Sep 17, 2010)
Why do I go fishing? I was recently asked that question. I thought about it for a time and have come up with some of my reasons.
First, I believe it is man’s instinct to hunt and gather. Granted, most of our modern hunting and gathering is done at the supermarket these days, but the instinct is still there. Don’t get me wrong. I am truly happy to have access to fully stocked grocery stores. I am thrilled that I don’t have to go into the woods to try and find food, clothing, and shelter. I am sure that many, if not most, of my early ancestors died or were maimed at young ages in the pursuit of food. Today I go fishing for the fun of it.
Fishing satisfies a basic instinct in me. Basic should not be confused with base, the adjective, when it comes to this instinct. There are some who believe we should never take any animals or fish for food or for any other reason. That is their problem. They should just continue to graze on the clover around them. I’ll continue to eat meat and fish. I should point out here that when I am out fishing, I have a personal ethic that requires that I never kill any animal or fish that is wasted. If I won’t eat it, I won’t kill it. If, when fishing, I accidentally catch a fish that I don’t want, I release it carefully so that it may live on.
Next, I fish because I like to hang out where the fish live. If you have never gone into the mountains following a small stream rushing through boulders and rocks, forming little pools where trout gather looking for their own food, casting a tiny fly that you cobbled together out of chicken feathers and tinsel, matching your wits with theirs, you couldn’t understand. If you have never traveled up the great rivers of Alaska chasing the elusive King Salmon disturbed only by the occasional bald eagle or howling wolf, you couldn’t truly understand. Or if you haven’t taken an offshore boat out in some tropical waters following sea birds and looking to latch onto a mighty fish that in some cases could be much larger than you. Or even just traveling to the nearest lake where your peace and solitude is only disrupted by the tug on your line or watching your bobber go under. If none of this stirs your heart, then you just couldn’t understand.
Finally, I fish for the pure pleasure of a huge plateful of fresh fried fish. Of all the foods available to modern man, few bring me more satisfaction than fish I just caught, cleaned, and prepared for my meal. Whether that plateful of fish is stream- side on an open fire, or in my dining room at home, I still get the same pleasure.
I understand that fishing is not for everybody. Just like not everybody plays golf, or goes to the Ballet. Fishing will continue to be one of my great pleasures in life.
To those among you who would attempt to deny me that pleasure through misguided legislation or other means, quit wasting your time. Here’s my deal for you. Leave me and my fellow anglers alone to our pursuit and I promise I will leave you alone to graze on your clover to your heart’s content.
Ron Scarbro September 6, 2010
Why do I go fishing? I was recently asked that question. I thought about it for a time and have come up with some of my reasons.
First, I believe it is man’s instinct to hunt and gather. Granted, most of our modern hunting and gathering is done at the supermarket these days, but the instinct is still there. Don’t get me wrong. I am truly happy to have access to fully stocked grocery stores. I am thrilled that I don’t have to go into the woods to try and find food, clothing, and shelter. I am sure that many, if not most, of my early ancestors died or were maimed at young ages in the pursuit of food. Today I go fishing for the fun of it.
Fishing satisfies a basic instinct in me. Basic should not be confused with base, the adjective, when it comes to this instinct. There are some who believe we should never take any animals or fish for food or for any other reason. That is their problem. They should just continue to graze on the clover around them. I’ll continue to eat meat and fish. I should point out here that when I am out fishing, I have a personal ethic that requires that I never kill any animal or fish that is wasted. If I won’t eat it, I won’t kill it. If, when fishing, I accidentally catch a fish that I don’t want, I release it carefully so that it may live on.
Next, I fish because I like to hang out where the fish live. If you have never gone into the mountains following a small stream rushing through boulders and rocks, forming little pools where trout gather looking for their own food, casting a tiny fly that you cobbled together out of chicken feathers and tinsel, matching your wits with theirs, you couldn’t understand. If you have never traveled up the great rivers of Alaska chasing the elusive King Salmon disturbed only by the occasional bald eagle or howling wolf, you couldn’t truly understand. Or if you haven’t taken an offshore boat out in some tropical waters following sea birds and looking to latch onto a mighty fish that in some cases could be much larger than you. Or even just traveling to the nearest lake where your peace and solitude is only disrupted by the tug on your line or watching your bobber go under. If none of this stirs your heart, then you just couldn’t understand.
Finally, I fish for the pure pleasure of a huge plateful of fresh fried fish. Of all the foods available to modern man, few bring me more satisfaction than fish I just caught, cleaned, and prepared for my meal. Whether that plateful of fish is stream- side on an open fire, or in my dining room at home, I still get the same pleasure.
I understand that fishing is not for everybody. Just like not everybody plays golf, or goes to the Ballet. Fishing will continue to be one of my great pleasures in life.
To those among you who would attempt to deny me that pleasure through misguided legislation or other means, quit wasting your time. Here’s my deal for you. Leave me and my fellow anglers alone to our pursuit and I promise I will leave you alone to graze on your clover to your heart’s content.
Ron Scarbro September 6, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
ENVIRONMENTALIST WACKO
If you have ever listened to talk radio, you no doubt have heard the term “environmentalist wacko”. For a long time I thought that could be just about anybody who involved themselves in the green at any cost movement. Today we have learned what a true environmentalist wacko is. He is/was James Lee.
This idiot apparently strapped bombs to his body and armed himself with what appeared to be pistols and attacked the Discovery Channel in Silver Springs, MD. His gripe? He didn’t like their programming. Say, James, don’t you think your action was a little extreme? Now that I think about it, it really doesn’t matter what James thinks because James is dead. James received the only result his idiocy could receive, a bullet to the head; and for that I am grateful to the police in Silver Springs.
So now we, the Monday morning quarterbacks of the world, are left to sort out the events and offer our comments. These are mine.
First, I believe there are a lot of nut jobs running loose in our society. Most are probably not dangerous, but for sure some are. Who knows what sets them off? In Lee’s case he appears to have been disturbed by Al Gore’s ridiculous writings and movies about the end of the world. He also seems to have been upset by a talking gorilla who complained about his captivity in a work of fiction. Whatever. If one is crazy enough, it doesn’t take very much. This particular clown was well known to the police and to the Discovery Channel people, but he was thought to be harmless. Well I guess he wasn’t.
Whom do we blame for these types of incidents? Is Al Gore guilty of inciting a madman? Is Daniel Quinn, the author of the fictional piece about the gorilla entitled Ishmael, to be held accountable for this wing nut’s act? Is the Judge who let him walk the last time he displayed his insanity responsible for James Lee? The answer to all the questions above is no.
If it wasn’t for An Inconvenient Truth or Ishmael, something else would have come along anyway. Al Gore is just guilty of being stupid but that is not against the law. As John Wayne once said, “Life is tough, it is even tougher when you’re stupid.” Daniel Quinn is free in our society to write anything his fertile mind allows him. Nut jobs like James Lee are going to do what nut jobs do. All you can do is hope you are not nearby when these morons go off.
To those groups of organized wackos who seem to believe that the environment should take precedence over humans, don’t think for a moment that individuals like James Lee will be their martyrs. James Lee and his ilk will be relegated to the dung heap of loser history and will probably never even make it on any foot note in actual history. In just a matter of days his name, and for that matter the entire event, will be forgotten. Fortunately, stupidity has a life expectancy measured in seconds and moments not years.
Ron Scarbro September 3, 2010
This idiot apparently strapped bombs to his body and armed himself with what appeared to be pistols and attacked the Discovery Channel in Silver Springs, MD. His gripe? He didn’t like their programming. Say, James, don’t you think your action was a little extreme? Now that I think about it, it really doesn’t matter what James thinks because James is dead. James received the only result his idiocy could receive, a bullet to the head; and for that I am grateful to the police in Silver Springs.
So now we, the Monday morning quarterbacks of the world, are left to sort out the events and offer our comments. These are mine.
First, I believe there are a lot of nut jobs running loose in our society. Most are probably not dangerous, but for sure some are. Who knows what sets them off? In Lee’s case he appears to have been disturbed by Al Gore’s ridiculous writings and movies about the end of the world. He also seems to have been upset by a talking gorilla who complained about his captivity in a work of fiction. Whatever. If one is crazy enough, it doesn’t take very much. This particular clown was well known to the police and to the Discovery Channel people, but he was thought to be harmless. Well I guess he wasn’t.
Whom do we blame for these types of incidents? Is Al Gore guilty of inciting a madman? Is Daniel Quinn, the author of the fictional piece about the gorilla entitled Ishmael, to be held accountable for this wing nut’s act? Is the Judge who let him walk the last time he displayed his insanity responsible for James Lee? The answer to all the questions above is no.
If it wasn’t for An Inconvenient Truth or Ishmael, something else would have come along anyway. Al Gore is just guilty of being stupid but that is not against the law. As John Wayne once said, “Life is tough, it is even tougher when you’re stupid.” Daniel Quinn is free in our society to write anything his fertile mind allows him. Nut jobs like James Lee are going to do what nut jobs do. All you can do is hope you are not nearby when these morons go off.
To those groups of organized wackos who seem to believe that the environment should take precedence over humans, don’t think for a moment that individuals like James Lee will be their martyrs. James Lee and his ilk will be relegated to the dung heap of loser history and will probably never even make it on any foot note in actual history. In just a matter of days his name, and for that matter the entire event, will be forgotten. Fortunately, stupidity has a life expectancy measured in seconds and moments not years.
Ron Scarbro September 3, 2010
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