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| Rob's Soapbox | ||
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Congratulations!
You have finally landed on the one page on this entire site (and on the entire internet for that matter) that is purely without bullshit... my soapbox page. There are a lot of times during our show that, whether it's because of time constraints and other obligations, I don't always get to address some issues that I feel don't get the attention they deserve. There are even more times when I just don't feel like waiting until the show the next day to get some things off my chest. Thus, I have started the "Rob's Soapbox" page. If you have clicked on this page looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else. If you are in search of the last forum for reason and common sense left in the world, then sit back, relax, and enjoy. I make only one promise with this soapbox page... if you read long enough and often enough, you will eventually be offended. So here's my latest soapbox. Listen up, 'cause you just might learn something... |
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November 6th, 2006 IF YOU THINK THINGS ARE BAD IN IRAQ, YOU OUGHT TO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA! With a national election this week, the propaganda machines on both sides of the political aisle are in full swing. The truth, meanwhile, is no where to be found. Big surprise; welcome to America. This column is not about the election, it's about the truth. It's also about this country's continuing lack of intelligence and interest when it comes to its own history and future. For the record, I do not give a rat's ear who you vote or voted for this election. It matters not to me, I'll thrive no matter what. I have plenty of things I loathe about both political parties to keep me from celebrating once all of the results are official. I have always been honest about my political persuasions; I am a libertarian minded individual who understands that we live in a two-political-party country. Both the Democrats and Republicans are liars and cheats that want to waste our money and control our behavior in their visions. In the end, I almost always vote Republican for one reason only; economics. I am a capitalist, a business owner and a successful man financially and I know that I can trust the Republican Party to keep as much of my money in my pocket as possible. I care not about anything else when election day rolls around. To this administration's credit, the American economy, despite what the media would have you believe, is absolutely rolling along at an amazing pace. I supported the War in Iraq, though I do not support the way in which that war has been waged by our political leaders. Political correctness and a failure of courage and leadership on the part of the Bush Administration has cost our country hundreds of military lives which is, in my opinion, a criminal act on the part of those alleged leaders. While I acknowledge that history will judge the totality of the Bush administration, I stand today embarrassed at his handling of the Iraq war. We should have stood stronger in Fallujah when four American contractors were dragged, burned and tortured in the streets. We should have killed Muqtada Al-Sadr when we had the chance, rather than allowing him to be negotiated with. We should have sent 300,000 troops in on the first day, as many military men said at the time, rather than half that many. The list of blunders is a mile long… just like it always is in war. In the summer of 1944, America was depressed, demoralized and defeated. The mood of the country was abysmal. History records the lethargic attitude of the nation as being near mass depression as a result of what was viewed as our devastating loss in progress in World War II. We had been at war only 3 years, just like now in Iraq, and we wanted to give up, bring the troops home, lock down the country and hope that no one would bother us ever again as long as we didn't bother them… much like the attitude in America now. Pick up a paper or watch the news in America today and you will be told of the horrors that are Iraq right now. For example: **600 women are raped every month **200 innocent civilians are violently murdered every month **38 arson fires are intentionally set every single day **180 robberies occur every single day **$20 million American dollars are being spent every day to house local criminals
How can we not be depressed and devastated by such news? My God… what kind of a life must these poor people in Iraq be stuck with, thanks to the presence of the United States and all of the turmoil we have created. Keep in mind, Iraq is almost the exact same size and just slightly less the population as the state of California so these figures are staggering. They are especially staggering when you realize this... the figures are from California, not Iraq. Read them again and remember that you are reading about California. 600 rapes per month on average? We're civilized and Iraq isn't? What am I missing here? I, of course, am not suggesting that Iraq is as well off as California or that California is as bad off as Iraq… far from it. I am merely here to prove a few points on perspective. We have lost almost 3,000 courageous American soldiers so far in Iraq and every single one of them is one too many. However, 4,000 Californians will die in traffic accidents just this year. 10,000 American soldiers died in one day in World War II. History and perspective are powerful weapons when used properly. The result of the Tuesday elections will do very little to alter the course of history in Iraq. Like it or not (and I don't, just to be clear) President Bush is right that the only way we can lose in Iraq is by losing our will as a nation. Vietnam was lost solely for that reason and we, as a nation should be embarrassed by that not proud of it. At the very least, regardless of how the vote went when it comes to your perspective, do me a favor and at least root for America and our troops. They deserve at least that. Remember, when many of them are done serving their country, they have to move back to this dangerous Hell hole a lot of us call home; California. I want to thank a gentleman named Victor Davis Hanson for inspiring this column. You can read his original piece, a far more eloquent writing on this subject, at this address: click here for Hanson's column
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