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Posted: 03.19.2003 Tick tock tick tock ![[yellow ribbon]](http://www.tampatantrum.com/ispy/yellowribbon.gif){kind=small} I mentioned this over at Solonor's yesterday, and it still applies. Right now I have that uneasy / queasy feeling you get after waking up from a bad dream. You know the one. You wake up thinking you've forgotten to attend a class all semester long, and suddenly it's the day of the final and you're late for it -- and of course, haven't studied a single chapter of the book. Once you check yourself and realize that you are, in fact, 30 years old and haven't even been enrolled in a college course since 1995 -- you still can't shake that "did I turn off the oven, forget my keys, leave the iron on" feeling all day. The pit of my stomach is kicking my ass right now. Sometimes it's really hard to ask God to bless America after the way we act.Wishing strength, safety, courage and peace for all of those who defend us and their families... Thank you for doing so. Hurry home! UPDATE: I've now been critcized publicly for stating, "Sometimes it's really hard to ask God to bless America after the way we act." "...I just don't understand people, and as of now I've officially given up on trying." [link] You know how your mom would say, "I love you. But I don't really like you right now..." Well that's how I feel. And because I'm an American citizen, I have every right to feel that way. It doesn't make me less patriotic. It doesn't mean I love my country any less than you do. It does mean that the Constitution gives me the right to question my leaders and their actions. Don't try to understand people. Try to understand democratic life in a Republic instead.  You aren't alone Robyn I have that same feeling... ¤ ¤ credit: heather | 03.19.03 at 09:34 AM | link- -this ¤ ¤ robyn- although i disagree with your stance on the war, as i veteran, i thank you for supporting the troops. it means a lot to them. ¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.19.03 at 10:31 AM | link--this ¤ ¤I have the same feeling, too. ¤ ¤ credit: Kathy | 03.19.03 at 12:14 PM | link--this ¤ ¤I think most of us have that feeling. watching the clock tick has more meaning now then ever. Lets hope this is over quick. ¤ ¤ credit: Alteredboy | 03.19.03 at 12:46 PM | link--this ¤ ¤You're still defending yourself against charges I never made. I never questioned your patriotism, or your love of your country. You can question whatever you want. But when you go onto other people's blogs and call them uneducated (by the way, my degree is in Political Science, so you're not talking to some Volleyball major) you should at least be sure that your comments go toward the statement. All I said was I don't understand how you can say it's harder to ask God to bless America the way we act. I don't think that makes sense. You've dragged a whole lot of assumptions into this that were never written, never intended, and never even hinted to. And if anyone reading this would like to see the original post, feel free to look at it. See if I say the word unamerican or love of country anywhere in it. ¤ ¤ credit: Vinny | 03.19.03 at 02:53 PM | link--this ¤ ¤
-this ¤ ¤My mother used to used to use that line on me. I thought she was the only one. I can't tell you how wrong that line is. So very wrong. I mean, at least when your mom uses it on you. ¤ ¤ credit: statia | 03.19.03 at 03:07 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Maybe that explains a lot about the two of us, Statia? ;-) ¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 03.19.03 at 03:10 PM | link--this ¤ ¤I think I understand what you meant by that statement, Robyn, and I can see why you might feel that way. But then, aren't those who are misguided and behaving wrongly precisely the ones we should be asking God's blessings for? They are, after all, the ones who need Him most. ¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.19.03 at 03:14 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Don't get me wrong -- I still pray for my country. Especially now. But just how much is God willing to bless, before saying, "Enough is enough!" That's my real fear. ¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 03.19.03 at 03:20 PM | link--this ¤ ¤that's a valid question. we may indeed be on double-secret probation with him already. but as bad as we are, we do a lot of good in the world, too. i'd like to think there are quite a few countries ahead of us in line to be abandoned by the man upstairs. ¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.19.03 at 03:26 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Ok, is it me or am I completely lost on why this argument is taking place? Didn't Robyn start another blog because of the trolls and morons that were lurking around here? Man, I don't get this. What does it matter? It's her opinion. ¤ ¤ credit: john | 03.19.03 at 04:52 PM | link--this ¤ ¤John, I don't mind the constructive criticism -- as long as it doesn't escalate to flame war status. And it hardly has, even if I am being called out for my words. I may not agree with their opinions (as they certainly don't agree with mine). But that doesn't mean they're not entitled to them. I rarely blog about politics for this very reason. But I did -- so I have to expect the responses I'm receiving. ¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 03.19.03 at 04:59 PM | link--this ¤ ¤I don't think there's a country on this planet that has always acted the way it should. Just 50 years ago, the Australian government were taking aboriginal children away from their parents just because they were aboriginal. The english came here over 200 years ago and tried to kill them all. I'm not proud of what our government did, I think it's disgraceful. I still remember a comment you wrote to me just before Dubya was elected. You said you were afraid that if he got in, the country would end up at war. You were right. Excuse me while I take a trip to Florida and beat up the person who designed the ballot form and all those old people who didn't read it properly ;) How does a president become the president without winning the popular vote??? It happened here in the last decade to with a Prime Minister. Sometimes I just don't get the voting system. I just hope it's over quickly without loss of life, but I don't think that wish will be granted :( ¤ ¤ credit: Jessica Parker | 03.19.03 at 05:59 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Robyn, It's cool. I was just having a "brain fart" moment after reading your comments and then the stuff that was on the other site. Cheers! ¤ ¤ credit: John | 03.19.03 at 07:07 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Jessica- There are some very good reasons why you can win the presidency without winning the popular vote. I won't go into them here, but if you're really curious, send me an email. This isn't the first time it's happened, and probably won't be the last. I don't want to rehash the 2000 election and get into a big political debate here, but I would point out that when the campaigning first started, the polling was showing just the opposite: it looked for a while like Bush was going to get the popular vote and Gore would win the electorate vote. I will never forget Hillary Clinton on several cable tv talkshows talking about what a great and fair system we had and that if Gore won the electorate, no one should question it. After the election Hilary was one of the first of many Democrats to completely flip-flop and say we should re-evaluate the system. I'd also point out that the policy of regime change in Iraq was implemented by Clinton. Bush just continued it. Clinton also came very close to doing exactly what we're about to do now in Iraq (in addition to going to war without UN backing in Kosovo). There's a very good chance that we'd be right where we are now if Gore had won. The only difference would be that we'd have UN backing- Bush has definitely bungled the diplomatic side of this. Then again, the UN backing thing has been overblown too: most people don't realize that only 3 of the 26 international wars since 1945 have had UN backing. Ok, I'm done. No more political rants, I promise. If anyone wants to respond to this, let's do it by email. I'm sure Robyn doesnt want a fight to break out in her comments :) ¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.19.03 at 07:36 PM | link--this ¤ ¤and what the hell is wrong with majoring in volleyball? good post, robyn. ¤ ¤ credit: undertoad | 03.19.03 at 09:00 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Man, Vinny, wake up. Having a college degree doesn't make you smart - it makes you educated in the fashion your college professors prefer. There is one true teacher: experience. When I was proud of my mathematics degree I thought the same way: "I am so smart because I am a college graduate." I used to teach high school and found out rather quickly that my degree educated me in a very vertical field. The older I get (I wish I could remember 40!) the more I realize that a college degree just holds the door open, it doens't allow you in. One final quote for those of you who have some experience. It was by Ben Franklin, I believe. "If you are not a liberal at 20 you have no heart. If you are not a conservative at 40 you have no brain." ¤ ¤ credit: BillH | 03.19.03 at 09:37 PM | link--this ¤ ¤I think that may have been Churchill, BillH, but I'm not positive. ¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.19.03 at 10:49 PM | link--this ¤ ¤Yes, it was Churchill. The exact quote is: "To be conservative at 20 is heartless and to be a liberal at 60 is plain idiocy." -this ¤ ¤Ok, we're losing site of the original question at hand, which was, Vinny didn't understand the statement about asking God for blessings when we've been so naughty. Valid question. I personally think I know what you meant. I also understand someone wanting you to clarify, we don't all readily get each others take on God. So clarify and be done with it girl. His question is valid. ¤ ¤ credit: moogirl | 03.20.03 at 04:37 AM | link--this ¤ ¤I don't think we're losing sight of anything. This is about my original entry. Not questions that stemmed from it. Otherwise, I think it's trying to drag out an issue that people here want no part of -- myself included. We have other, more important, things to focus on. ¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 03.20.03 at 07:29 AM | link--this ¤ ¤The real problem is that hindsight is 20/20. As a fellow history major, I couldn't say, using what we know today, that all decisions made by this country were in the best interest of the world and its people. That said, most of the leaders making said decisions believed - at that time - that they were truly acting in the best interest of the world. Honestly, that's all we can expect from elected leaders, since it's easy to critisize after the fact. There are exceptions to this - McCarthy for example - but I think it holds true for the majority. Therefore, it seems to me that if people truly believe their actions are good and pure, than God certainly wouldn't withhold his blessing. since He gave us free will and all. ¤ ¤ credit: Papa Smurf | 03.20.03 at 08:12 AM | link--this ¤ ¤If I had to guess, the confusion this whole thing boils down to how you define "bless". If you take bless to mean "show favor to", "endorse", or "approve of", then Robyn's statement makes perfect sense to me: "Sometimes it's really hard to ask God to bless America after the way we act." If, on the other hand, if bless means "give guidance" or "help"...then I can see where Vinny's (and my own) questions arose, because if we're truly acting wrongly as a nation, that's when we need God's help and guidance the most. In any case, as Robyn's last comment noted, there are more important things to focus on now. Let's put this one to bed. ¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.20.03 at 08:41 AM | link--this ¤ ¤OhMYgOOdNeSS! What a great debate started from two differences of opinions. Do you think perhaps this blog/comment battle is yet another reason people yearn for separation of Church and State? A few things ruffled my wool (as an outsider looking in) so I'll only share yet another perspective and wish peace, truce, and respect for those that have come before me. If the US is such a bad country, why don't the citizens that are in such duress flea their homeland? I tend to keep current with world events and I've never heard of an American Refugee seeking asylum in a foreign land. Outside of the many civil wars around the world, the majority of global conflicts have come to pass due to differing religious beliefs. I submit to you The Crusades, the enduring Israel/Palestine feud, Correct me if I'm wrong, but religious persecution was high on the list of reasons why "our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal"... I understand Robyn's point just as equally as I see and agree with Vinny. It doesn't matter to me which deity you worship nor does it change the world that we all differ in opinions from time to time. The point is that we disagree and commit to doing all that we can in our own quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And that's the beauty of this place... these United States of America that you and I call home. God Bless us One and All... *I'm giving equal time to both Vinny and Robyn by cheesing out using the cut and paste to insert my random gibberish into both of their blogs.* ¤ ¤ credit: The Sheep Shagger | 03.20.03 at 10:50 AM | link--this ¤ ¤Ok, these are my last words on the matter and then I'm closing* the comments for this entry because it is ridiculous to keep hashing and rehashing things... Please focus on the more important things of life right now, people. Blog "wars" in the face of real wars are petty and dumb. "If I had to guess, the confusion this whole thing boils down to how you define "bless". If you take bless to mean "show favor to", "endorse", or "approve of", then Robyn's statement makes perfect sense to me" EX-ACTLY! Thank you! "If the US is such a bad country, why don't the citizens that are in such duress flea their homeland?" Can anyone please refer me to the words I have ever uttered that would even remotely indicate the US is a "bad country"? I don't always approve of our actions, but we are still the best nation in the world -- and hopefully always will be. It's such a tired cliché that the opposing voices in any given situation should just up and leave because only one voice is allowed to be heard. I wouldn't live anywhere else, and would lay down my life to defend my nation if it ever came to that. I'm patriotic to the core, and can't even hear the first bar of "The Star Spangled Banner" without getting misty-eyed. Personally, I believe it is patriotic to question your government, because it's one of the very basic principles we were founded on. But. All that said. We are led by human beings. By default, human beings make mistakes. Pray for God's guidance and will to be done? Yes, of course! Ask him to "bless" certain actions done in his name? Never. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition...
-this ¤ ¤
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