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tanger03
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Name: Daniel
Country: United States
State: California
Gender: Male
Interests: niners, a's, fantasy sports, UCLA Bruin basketball (and football, and everything else)
Occupation: Military
Industry: Government
Message: message me
Member Since:
1/12/2003
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| by Rudyard Kipling
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees! | | |
| I tried hard not not to write this post. I really did. It's been almost a week since the inauguration of President Obama and in the time since, I've tried to convince myself that I am just overreacting or that it really isn't such a big deal. Still, I can't get myself over it. So here goes.
January 20, 2009.
This, of course, is about the inauguration of our 44th President. First, let me just get this out of the way. I voted for John McCain. Still, I would have been dumb not to attend the inauguration. How many chances am I going to get to witness an inauguration? How many chances do you get to attend a historic event? Make no doubt about, along with the morning of September 11, 2001, this is probably the second event in my lifetime where I will never forget where I was. The first African-American president, the fulfillment of MLK's dream, call it what you will, it was a great day for our nation.
Yet, this great day was irreparably marred in my eyes. You've read the reports, you know what happened - perhaps you didn't think much of it. The living presidents were shown on the jumbotrons as they came out of the Capitol one by one. There were cheers for Carter, Bush Sr., a hearty applause given to the Clintons, but as George W. Bush came out, boos. Not overwhemling, but unmistakable nontheless. I'd say maybe about a half of those around me joined in. This is what this post is about.
I don't even know where to begin, a week later, I still get so angry thinking about it. I've never been so ashamed to be standing amongst a group of people. This is right up there with the time the UCLA student section started yelling at a little kid to take off his 'SC gear as he walked in front of us at a basketball game.
Come on. Booing?!?!? How inane and childish are we Americans? Let me go through the thought process invovled. "There's Bush... I don't like him... I don't agree with the decisions he made... I hate the man's guts... BOOOOOOO." What are you, five? I get that you don't like the man and think he's a horrible president. Fine, you're allowed to think that. DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE WITH THAT. Turn your feelings into words man! That's what distinguishes a child from an adult. A chlid doesn't know how to express himself and thus turns to using sounds. A baby cries. A toddler whines and screams. A child just repeats the word "no." A grown man "boos"?? Write your local newspaper, call in to radio programs, go door to door, protest for all I care, write your congressmen and convince him to bring impeachment proceedings, exercise your civil liberties and vote the guy out of office. Why, why, why would one adult ever feel the need to boo another? Are we cavemen? Oh, what, you still feel like you need to express your emotions? Go to a shooting range. Go to the gym. Do a midnight yell. Better yet, just grow a pair.
There was a rather large, middle-aged black man about 10 feet away from me who was being rather vocal about his feelings. Not just booing, but just short of cussing the guy out. I was getting kinda annoyed so I turned around and go "Hey! Show some respect! He's the President of the United States!" His response to that? "Respect? You want me to show respect? This IS showing respect! This is what he deserves!" I said something back, I don't remember exactly what, but he basically goes on and makes some comment about me being young and then proceedes to preceede the rest of his inane comments the rest of the ceremony with some form of "this is respect... BOOO, CYA." I tried to ignored him the rest of the day.
So let's think about this a second. True, we're often taught that you have to earn your respect. You're not given it. And I get that many people there probably don't think that Bush has earned their respect. But come on folks, is there nothing left sacred in America? He is the PRESIDENT for goodness sakes. Let me quote from Band of Brothers, "Sobel! You salute the rank, not the person." Which is basically this - it doesn't matter what you think of the individual, the person's title and rank, in and of itself, accords respect to the person. Isn't this true in everyday life? When you go to a place of worship, there is an understanding that respect should be shown to the pastor, the bishop, the imam, whoever it is. It doesn't matter if you think the guy is nuts or don't agree with a single one of his beliefs, there is a certain understanding that the guy is to be respected. The same with a professor, to a lesser degree. There is a certain code of conduct that you automatically ascribe to. You wouldn't dare meet the Queen of England in any less than a coat and tie. What has she done to earn my respect, nothing really, she's just the Queen. It is the title you show respect to. So it is with the presidency, the highest office to be had in the United States. If you do not show this man respect, who DO you show respect to? No one less than God Himself?
I'm not even going to go into what I think of the "Americans" who threw shoes at Bush caricatures or what kind of message all this sends to the people around the world watching America. I'm not going to go into an America who still cheers for a man who comitted adultery and tried to argue the definition of "is" to hide the fact, yet crucifies one who has been humble enough to admit that he made mistakes during his presidency.
If you want the fabric of America, you're staring at it right here. And far from the goodness that Mr. Obama sees, I see it to be rather ugly.
*This is all written from a purely non-Christian worldview. However, if you are a Christian, this applies to you, too. The only people you should be holding in regard above the President are your pastors, your elders, other men/women of the faith, and your parents.
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| In no particular order...
-Sara Bareilles
-Jason Mraz
-John Mayer (again)
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| Camp Randall Stadium (University of Wisconsin)
Michigan Stadium (University of Michigan)
Neyland Stadium (University of Tennessee)
Notre Dame Stadium (University of Notre Dame)
Kyle Field (Texas A&M)
Allen Fieldhouse (University of Kansas)
Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke University)
Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)
Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)
Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)
Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)
Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks)
HP Pavilion (San Jose Sharks)
Any other hockey game in Canada
Stamford Bridge (Chelsea FC) [*added]
Sorry, clarification, I don't just want to visit as in stand outside and go ohhh pretty. I want to actually watch a game at the aforementioned places.
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