Comments on: America Is 230 Years Old; Doesn’t Look A Day Over 150

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 20:07:46 +0000

I can see no way how it could have been interpreted wrong.
You mean you have never read some pontificating commentator bemoaning the fact that BBQ’s and fireworks are “not what the 4th of July is about”?
That’s why your comment was taken that way.

By: deets

deets — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 04:07:41 +0000

I think this entire debate on how liberals vs. conservatives celebrate/honor the 4th of July is plain ridiculous and indicitive of what is wrong with political discourse these days. Looking over my original post I can see no way how it could have been interpreted wrong. I was simply saying how much I loved my nation. Yes, even an evil liberal like myself is allowed to love America. The fact that people were so quick to criticize me for my comment, simply because im a liberal(b/c i am 100% positive that if i was perceived as a conservative commentator on this site, i would never have been criticized), is absurd. Just because people have different views on how this country should be run, does not mean that they are any less of an American(a damn proud one at that!) than the next guy. I know that as a liberal, I do criticize this nation. For me, that comes out of love of this nation. I know this sounds cheesy but its true. As great as this country is, I know it can be better, and I will proudly fight for that, because that is what our founding fathers would have wanted. I will not apologize for being liberal, because at its very core liberalism is for freedom, liberty and equality. And I will not sit idly by and have someone criticize my patriotism, or my adoration of Independence day, simply because of my political views. Both sides need to reevaluate the way that they criticize the other. Debate ideas, dont trash each other, or assume things about others. We are all Americans, and even more than that, members of the human race. Let’s not belittle each other, but respect the fact that we are even able to have this discussion.
*Stepping off Soapbox*

By: Roni

Roni — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 02:07:05 +0000

Frank_D Jul 5th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
I just had to point you to this liberal s view of the Founding Fathers, that appeared in the LAT yesterday.

“I just ‘had’ to …” Why?

” … point ‘you’ …” Who is ‘you’, Frank?

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 01:07:25 +0000

I just had to point you to this liberal’s view of the Founding Fathers, that appeared in the LAT yesterday.

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 18:07:23 +0000

I guess you’re right.

I have to say that a guy who “tosses hand grenades” as his claim to fame, couldn’t be expected to post the Declaration unadorned for a truly sincere, neytral pourpose, as witnessed by frameone’s reaction.

By: Marty

Marty — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:07:31 +0000

Frank- I was referring to this particular offering by Oliver that could have easily gone without any negative/”gotcha” comments. While I had the same reaction to frame and deets as you (admittedly a kneejerk reaction) I thought that on the fourth, that Oliver’s choice of posting (and not posting) could have gone without comment.

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:07:01 +0000

Of course, your remark doesn’t represent sniping.

By: buma

buma — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 16:07:11 +0000

Let the sniping commence then, frank. I’m sure it was difficult for you to refrain for a whole day.

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 15:07:38 +0000

Marty: You are aware that you posted on the 5th, before I did.

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:07:05 +0000

OK, fine. Then I apologize. It just so happens that I drank soda and coffee, and watch as other people blew things up yesterday.
But, as I crawled along in post fireworks traffic to get to the Interstate, I remembered that this was what the Fourth of July was supposed to be: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
I spent the day with “grownups”, as we boomers call people that live regular, conventional lives.
Nearly every adult at the BBQ was a public servant.
America — what a country!
=> Yakov Smirnov

By: deets

deets — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 13:07:40 +0000

I think everyone misread my original comment. It was sincere. I am truly proud of this nation. I was expressing my gratitude for th small things. Absolutely no snarkiness on my part, I promise.

By: deets

deets — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 13:07:37 +0000

Frank,
I apologive if I misunderstood you you, but do you think that with my comment I was trying to say that “Celebrating the 4th is just a cynical, materialist display” ? It seems that that was pointed at me. Ill leave my response until I know for sure. But, I know of no liberals who think that way. And as for the impugning of the our patriotism, that is exactly what is done to liberals in the media everyday.

By: Nimrod Gently

Nimrod Gently — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 13:07:25 +0000

Happy Birthday.

Oh, and the call of the Wild Western Conservative:

AWK! AAAARRRARRARRRRRARRARLIBERALSGAGGAGAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWK!

By: Marty

Marty — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 13:07:11 +0000

I applaud you Oliver for taking one day off from the sniping. The day belongs to EVERY AMERICAN.

So Frame, Deets, Frank, and Nimrod- it really would have been nice if you could have taken the day off too and just enjoyed the post.

(Perhaps this is one time that it would have been appropriate to close the comments section- though THAT would have been ironic.)

By: Frank_D

Frank_D — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 12:07:27 +0000

Typical liberal reactions:
The Declaration of Independence is ours, baby!
Celebrating the 4th is just a cynical, materialist display.

The call of the Wild American Liberal:
AWK! You’re impugning our patriotism! AWK!!

By: deets

deets — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 17:07:06 +0000

Yay, Happy Birthday America. Now, I can drink beer and blow things up on a Tuesday, all in the name of patriotism. Damn, but I love this country!!

By: frameone

frameone — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:07:59 +0000

There you go again, Oliver, cutting and pasting your liberal talking points!

By: cypher

cypher — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:07:06 +0000

Well I screwed up the Star Trek link.

You can get to the right page at: The Omega Glory Sound Wavs

And click near the bottom on people.

The url is http://www.trekkieguy.com/2/52/people.wav, but I don’t think that the trekkieguy supports hotlinking.

By: cypher

cypher — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 09:07:07 +0000

Thank you for posting this. As a bonus, here is William Shatner, Canadian and Star Fleet Captain reciting the Preamble to the Constitution and explaining why we must offer habeas protection even to enemy combatants.
Eed Plebnista

More seriously, Brad DeLong has a must read speech from Frederick Douglas.