Okay, you want an argument?

[feren]

Then you've got it. After the cacophony of wailing and gnashed teeth over Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" and the fact he was punted from ABC's Fourth of July special because of the "controversial lyrics" and "flaming rhetoric," I've decided I won't be sorry about posting this. Hell, you know what? I'm proud to post this, and here's why: Lately it seems that people can't stand it when somebody says something negative, or dares show even the least bit of self-confidence in their opinion -- especially if it's unpopular or goes against "current wisdom." Having an opinion or belief that challenges the accepted norms or might upset somebody has gone from merely frowned upon to being outright hated and used as an excuse to dismiss the points raised entirely. We've become a nation of drones it seems, afraid to challenge our socially-programmed thought processes because sometimes the things that do that are the things that aren't viewed as being "trendy," "enlightened," "politically correct" or even "polite." It's like we've got our own little thought police slowly being integrated directly into society. I, for one, can't stand it.

So I'll be the unpopular, hated bastard whom you should cry to have strung up by his thumbs. I challenge you: read this e-mail I was forwarded. Form your own opinion. Discuss amongst yourselves. See if you can guess where I stand on it.

---

Subject: Profiling - food for thought
From: [redacted]

Profiling:

To ensure we Americans never offend anyone or have unfair practices; airport screeners are not allowed to profile people. They will continue to perform random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Norwegian girls and 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips.

Let's pause a moment & take the following test:


In 1972, 11 Israeli athletes were killed at the Munich Olympics by:
(a) Grandma Moses;
(b) The cleaning crew at Rockefeller Center;
(c) Invaders from Mars;
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:
(a) Norwegians from the University of Oslo;
(b) Elvis;
(c) A tour bus full of 80-year-old women;
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:
(a) A pizza delivery boy;
(b) Crazed feminists;
(c) Geraldo Rivera making up for a slow news day;
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:
(a) Luca Brazzi, for not being given a part in "Godfather 2";
(b) The Tooth Fairy;
(c) Butch & the Sundance Kid;
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed by:
(a) The entire cast of "Cats";
(b) Martha Stewart;
(c) Cheese-crazed tourists from Wisconsin;
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:
(a) Mr. Rogers;
(b) Hillary, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems;
(c) "Mustapha the Merciless"; (Wrestling Villain)
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked and
destroyed by:
(a) Bugs Bunny;
(b) The US Supreme Court;
(c) Barney;
(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40.

Hmmm, nope, ain't no patterns here. Darned if I know. Even though thousands of innocent people have been killed, why we should ever even think about profiling.

---

Comments

[tremaine.livejournal.com]

I often wonder that, too. What's wrong with our nation? Seems one can't mention the WTC anymore without people getting offended. WTF? It's not like we can just forget it ever happened and be all lovey-dovey with everyone again... :P

I don't like the direction this nation is headed in. If we keep up this PC crap, we'll become a nation of wimps and whiners. We'll be so afraid to hurt anyone's feelings, even if they really fricking deserved it.

I'm not going to be one of them...

[genet.livejournal.com]

You aren't the only one. I've never believed that ignoring a situation or a problem will make it go away.

Nor have I ever believed that... kissing up to a group or minority is the right way to do something. If they are offended by hearing truth, that's their problem, not mine.

People are trying to substitute Political Correctness for good, old fashioned tact, and it's not going to work.

-K

[roho.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's understandable that people can't find a middle ground somewhere between "Drive every Muslim into the sea!" and "Don't ever question someone of Arab descent!" I can't see one, can you?

People...if you find the concept of the US offensive, then I recommend not living here. This is not a 'Love it or leave it!' comment, this is an honest statement...if the country pains you so much, why not live someplace where you'll be happier? We'll be happier not having to pander to you.

*wipes flecks of froth from his mouth*

Um.

[daveqat.livejournal.com]

Roho, please tell me you're being sarcastic? or witty? or something?

Re: Um.

[roho.livejournal.com]

The first paragraph was heavily sarcastic. The second one was not...I honestly feel that if some people find the US so distasteful that patriotism makes them angry, then they may be better off living elsewhere.

Note that this is not to be confused with "I think they should leave," or "I want them to leave." I just think that there's no point living somewhere that makes them miserable.

Re: Um.

[daveqat.livejournal.com]

Whew. That's a huge relief. I THOUGHT the first was sarcasm, but that's hard to convey in print sometimes.

[daveqat.livejournal.com]

Actually, I can't tell how you feel about the Toby Keith thing, or that e-mail you were forwarded.

The main thing that disturbed me about the CNN article was this lyrics snippet:
"You'll be sorry you messed with the U.S. of A. 'cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way," the song says.
Yeah. The American way is to just blindly blow shit up and hurt people, in the hopes of snagging whoever did it. Mmm-hmm. Yay.

[feren.livejournal.com]

[The main thing that disturbed me about the CNN article was this lyrics snippet:
"You'll be sorry you messed with the U.S. of A. 'cause we'll put a boot in your ass. It's the American way," the song says. Yeah. The American way is to just blindly blow shit up and hurt people, in the hopes of snagging whoever did it. Mmm-hmm. Yay.]

I think when interpreted broadly enough, you can make any lyric say anything you want. I don't think that interpretation of it is at all correct. I don't read that as advocating blind, broad destruction arm harm in the pursuit of the individual(s) who dealt the blow. Instead, I read that as being "the American way is a steady and unwavering commitment to ensure that the wrongdoers are brought to justice, and you've done us one hell of a wrong."

Commitment as well as the action it drives can be very focused and precise, you know, and doesn't necessarily have to involve blindly staggering out of the munitions shed and making holes in the hopes that eventually one will get a lucky hit.

[lcremeans.livejournal.com]

Never mind that the rest of the world would probably be even more displeased with us if we *did* go shooting blindly at anything even vaguely related to the bombings ("hey, let's go bomb Malaysia! They're Muslim, right?"), and that displeasure would probably lead to a crushing defeat in the ensuing World War III.

-lee

[captain18.livejournal.com]

I agree with your statement on how you've interpreted the lyrics.

However, and I put this far more eloquently in a post LJ conveniently ate, I'm with DaveQat with how I interpreted the lyrics.

[genet.livejournal.com]

...and doesn't necessarily have to involve blindly staggering out of the munitions shed and making holes in the hopes that eventually one will get a lucky hit

I'm a horrible American. I don't pay very much attention to the news, but.. Isn't this exactly what we're doing in Pakistan?

I guess I'm one of those people that would be content to find a little hidey hole in the mountains and retreat from wars and other world catastrophes. I don't pay much attention to government, and only have the vaguest of ideas of what's going on with US policy at any given time.

Therefore, I don't really think I have the right to bitch about it. I can't expect changes if I'm not willing to work for them.

Bleh. I think I'm going to think about this and put it in an entry in my own journal. This is too complicated for a comment.

Most people

[(Anonymous)]

Don't take this the wrong way.

Answers:
C, B, A, B, C, A, D

This is the way that most people would answer. People in general only remember what they can see. You might get some people out there who remember the first time the WTC was attacked, but other than that GOOD LUCK. We live in a unique age where our celebrities need our attention more than current events, or even attacks on our troops sacrificing there lives for our freedoms. Attentions spans in our society are as short as my ping response time to Feren's machine (the one I can ping.) Damn cable lag...

Reply from x.x.x.x: bytes=32 time=100ms TTL=239
Reply from x.x.x.x: bytes=32 time=100ms TTL=239
Reply from x.x.x.x: bytes=32 time=90ms TTL=239
Reply from x.x.x.x: bytes=32 time=90ms TTL=239
// IP blocked as to not reveal where Feren calls home.

Personally my answer to all of the above is :

(d) Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 30

Any of them older than that are either converts who plan, or cowards who use others to do there dirty work for them.

As far as profiling goes - I don't think its going to work. They have already shown us (a sad moment in our history) that we are the most vulnerable where we feel secure. My thoughts - They will only use the airlines for transportation to and from my next target. They have been successful in there plans on the WTC. Terror. We are all afraid in some way, shape, or form. When did you think that you would be scared to enter an airport. When did you think you would see people so afraid of living, that they would take to the roads instead of flying? I travel a bit longer on my commute than most of the people I work with, and I can now tell you that the # of different state license plates that I have seen on the roads has increase to the ENTIRE continental US. Sometimes I see most of them in one day. Tell me that they have not already won. First, I cannot tell myself that seeing armed soldiers in our airports is helping calm peoples fears. Secondly, I cannot blame parents at all for wanting to drive there children instead of flying them.

Unfortunately we cannot and will not be able to profile. The normal everyday worker does NOT control our politicians. They are controlled by all of the special interest groups (formed at one time or another to influence politicians into voting there way on issues.) Most of these groups are legit and I am not knocking them. All groups are formed from a need. Unions are a great example of that. They were formed to protect workers rights. Special lobbies by companies are another source of control of our politicians. *Cough Cough - Damn cigs ;)

Our politicians do NOT want to deal with the price behind profiling. They want to be re-elected and do not want controversy looming over there heads at election time. Dimpled chads come to mind. Therefore those in control will not profile in public. However, we do not know what is behind the curtain. We don't know what precautions are being taken now, and we cannot predict what is going to happen in the future. Well some people might, but I cannot predict the future.


Final thought: Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Norwegian girls WHERE???

-Shanedoll