by Bruce A. Smith
Today I received a pithy email from a friend, extolling the virtues of a charismatic conservative. It was one of many, and usually I just delete them and smile, but not today.
Below is the email message attributed to Bill Cosby, the famous American comedian and TV performer. It is titled, “I’m 83 and I’m tired.”
My response follows after Coz’ rant, ’cause I’m tired, too.
“I’m 83 and Tired”
I’m 83. Except for brief period in the 50’s when I was doing my National Service, I’ve worked hard since I was 17. Except for some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn’t call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I’m tired. Very tired.
I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.
I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace,” when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family “honor”; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers,” of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for “adultery,” of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.
I’m tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia , New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance.
I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.
I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?
I’m tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I’m tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I’m really tired of people who don’t take responsibility for their lives and actions. I’m tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.
I’m also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20’s be-deck themselves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.
Yes, I’m damn tired. But I’m also glad to be 83. Because, mostly, I’m not going to have to see the world these people are making. I’m just sorry for my granddaughter and their children. Thank God, I’m on the way out and not on the way in.
(Editor’s Note: My friend added the next few lines:)
“I’m 83 and I’m tired. If you don’t forward this you are part of the problem”
There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on! This is your chance to make a difference.
“Worth reading…..
“This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in Jamaica, the UK, United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and to all the world..”
“Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves for we shall never cease to be amused.”
“HI, FAMILY AND FRIENDS. JUST HAD TO SEND THIS ONE BECAUSE IT FITS.”
I’m tired, too.
by Bruce A. Smith
I’m 62, and I’m probably as tired as Bill Cosby.
I’m tired because all my life I’ve had to listen to judgmental, self-righteous folks tell me how it is.
I’m tired because all my life I’ve had to deal with people who called me a loser because I displayed compassion towards others.
I’m tired because my father was a life-long Republican, voting against every politician who supported Medicare and Social Security, I think, yet it was only those programs that kept him alive until he was 90.
I’m tired because I had to accept his pale hypocrisies, listening to him entertain me with his WWII stories at 11 pm, eating peach ice cream at the family kitchen table.
I’m tired because all my life people have called me unpatriotic for not joining the Army and running off to kill people in foreign lands.
I’m tired because all my life I’ve had to cope with people who can not discern the deeper truth of what people are saying, or see the pain underneath the thievery and deceit of the world.
I’m tired because all my life conservatives have been telling me that they are concerned about fiscal responsibility but all they really want is people like me dead.
I’m tired because all my life I’ve had to tolerate folks who tell me that they oppose abortion and yet feel joy when a prisoner is executed.
I’m tired because so many Americans can’t stand to hear a word of Spanish spoken and cringe when they walk into JC Penny’s at the Tacoma Mall and see only brown and black faces.
And adding insult to injury Coz has the gall to tell me I’m part of the problem.
But there is hope because Coz has no idea how big a part of his problem I am. I have been resisting his attacks for a long time and I have grown strong. No longer do I think that there is something wrong with me. In fact, I have grown proud and strong knowing that I have the courage to listen to combat vets tell me how much they like killing and how good the sex was in Vietnam, and I know it is highly unlikely that Coz has ever heard that level of honesty from anyone.
I grow stronger every day knowing the value of my nobility.
I grow stronger every day because I know I cherish truth, and I truly realize how risky it is to hope for our goodness to blossom.
I grow stronger every day knowing that I value love and tolerance and forgiveness above all else.
I grow stronger every day because I know that I am dedicated to the greatest good for the greatest number.
I grow stronger every day because I can allow Coz his caustic attitudes. I’ve had a lot of practice. I may be tired, but I’m ready.
Bruce A. Smith
June 13, 2012
Addendum, August 31, 2012:
Many readers have commented on my remarks about my father. Here is an expansion on my relationship with my father and a fuller explanation of what I characterize as his “pale hypocricies.”
I think that the primary responsibility of a father to a son is to protect him. Regarding Vietnam, my father did not do that. Rather, he encouraged me to enter the military – not because he thought it was necessary somehow to go kill commies in the jungles of SE Asia, but because it was the smart thing to do socially and politically back home.
My father loved the Army, and he loved talking about it. Much of the time I enjoyed listening to him because I loved hearing how he treasured his experiences. But my father’s WW II storytelling contained a disturbing disconnect as it rarely included the fact that killing was the underpinning of his grand adventure. Further, he never seemed to realize that his encouragement for me to follow a career path that included a military stint – ideally as an officer – could very well lead to my death or that I would be compelled to kill others. Both options I profoundly abhorred, but my father never recognized those attitudes. Nevertheless, we “soldiered on” in life, both of us eating peach ice cream – with me listening and he doing all the talking.
Addendum, 9.25.12
This posting about a purported right-wing diatribe by Bill Cosby is causing quite a stir, and is registering at least 50 hits a day at the Mountain News – and has done so for the past several months. As a result, I want folks to know that the Mountain News learned long ago that Mr. Cosby did not write the commentary attributed to him and in fact, he has refuted the writings and their message.
Further, the real author may be in doubt as well, although it is widely reported that a state representative from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may have penned some of the original sentiments over a decade ago.
As many have suggested, the Mountain News has investigated the subject further. With the heavy traffic here it seems important to direct readers of this post to that one:
Continuing, the sentiments expressed in the above “I’m 83 and I’m tired” essay resonates with lots of folks. I recognize that and I ponder what it all means. Further, in light of the shock wave blasting from Mitt Romney’s comments a few days ago that 47% of American households don’t pay federal income taxes and that proves they are super-moochers, it seems important to expand the original posting with these further comments.
Readers, please realize that I know that many Americans are angry that so many of us are dirt poor and need so much help. But to call our benefits “entitlements” or suggest they are undeserved is incorrect.
Some facts: I collect social security, Medicaid health care and 90 bucks worth of food stamps a month, and get around on paratransit. I live on $805 a month. These monies are not ill-gained. Long ago I made a deal with America – I would work hard and pay my taxes, and if and when I ever needed a helping hand, then society would extend me one.
I consider that agreement a business deal. I made a contract with my fellow citizens and for forty years I kept my end of the bargain. Now, I’m broke and dealing with a slew of health issues. So, why are so many bitching about my expectations and showing me and people I care about so much disrespect, as many of the following comments reveal.
Addendum, December 7, 2012
There has been a lot of reproach expressed concerning my attitudes towards my father, so by way of greater explanation of my relationhip with him, I thought I might post my eulogy of my dad, Alan Smith. from his funeral in January 2007.
Eulogy for my Father
January 23, 2007
My father died as he lived- no muss and no fuss; a simple, straight forward life with little drama at the end.
But, by simple I do not mean he was a simple man – far from it. Rather, he loved life in a simple way. He was a rare man, one who truly loved living – especially those moments of good company, family times, or swimming at Fire Island or Squam Lake. He understood nuance but rarely practiced it. What you saw was what you got; he was that kind of guy.
For those who don’t know the details of my father’s passing, let me say briefly that he wasn’t feeling well on Friday afternoon, January 19th. By the time our family friend Richard came over to go out to their previously scheduled dinner date, Dad was nauseous, weak, couldn’t feel his extremities, and was having chest pains. Instead of our favorite Italian – Umberto’s – they went to St. Francis Hospital. He received three stints to open blocked arteries, but by morning his heart gave out and he was gone.
All of us here, I am sure, know full well how generous and dependable my father was. And I suppose that all of us have been touched personally by those wonderful aspects of my father. I certainly was.
When I was a kid, Dad was one of the regular drivers to Camp Wauwepex, taking me and a car full of Boy Scouts out on our monthly camping trips. At home, he was always ready to throw the ball around, and he surprised everyone at his 90th birthday last summer when BJ asked him what his greatest experiences were in those years. He replied, “Being a Little League coach.” It shocked us because he was supposed to say being married to my mom, but he didn’t. That was Dad. And to boot, as he would say, he wore his Babe Ruth League coach’s hat nearly everyday for 40 years. It’s probably the one piece of clothing he never lost or misplaced. I even saw him wearing it in two pictures last night at the viewing.
I benefited particularly from his generosity, particularly during my efforts to develop a performing career. My move to Nashville was directly funded by Dad; he pumped well over ten grand into that effort. And that gift was particularly sweeter knowing how he had changed to become closer to me. When I was a kid he often tried to dissuade me from the creative life, admonishing me to get a real job and not be just another unemployed actor in New York City. And I had changed too, no longer hoping he would become the father I wanted, but rather accepting him as he was. So, I want to celebrate our mutual growth and the good times that came out of that.
Now that he is gone, it is obvious to me that he was always around. Last night, my sister and I talked about how these past few days are the first time my dad hasn’t been around since 1960 when he went on a three-day business trip to Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.
Yet, he wasn’t a homebody, at least in the strict sense. He traveled with Mom to Japan, Alaska and all through Europe – from the Arctic Circle to Rome. But he enjoyed home best, especially summer evenings on the porch eating peach ice cream, or going for a swim at the town pool.
My sister also remarked, as have others, how much my father would have enjoyed the gatherings of the last few days – the conversations, the good food, the sweet reunions with old friends and family.
But, he is gone. And yet, his leaving has taught me one more powerful truth. He’s gifted me one last time, from beyond the grave, if you will.
I know now, more clearly and with greater conviction, that we are all on a journey. I’m on mine, you are on yours, and Dad has started a new one. His journey here in human form is over, and although it is shocking to realize he isn’t here, his leaving has a blessed lesson.
When I looked at his body at the viewing yesterday, it was so very clear to me that his spirit was gone- that which make him who he was and have his body life. And that experience tells me profoundly that life is bigger than just what we see around us – what we feel and experience in this human life – the job, the kids, paying the mortgage, walking on the beach, our friends and loved ones. There is so much more than that; our spirits are so powerful and beautiful that when they leave the body it is so obvious they have left to go to another realm, one that is equal to that majestic beauty and power. So in his simple, quiet way, my Dad has taught me, just by leaving, one more important truth.
Thanks Dad.
Bruce A. Smith
*****************************
Coz and Me, when we were younger and not so tired…
The Mountain News - WA 
Bruce,
I liked reading what you’re “tired of.” I agree wholeheartedly.
I’m disappointed in Bill Cosby. I used to think he was a great comedian but his “preachy” conservatism turns me off.
I’m tired too, but I’m also angry. I haven’t perfected that “tolerance” thing yet.
I’m angry that Obama has been working in secret to give multinational corporations more political power and freedom’s than any of us have as citizens of the U.S.
I’m angry that “in the name of religion” we continue to kill innocent children, women and men by the thousands.
I’m angry that I have no power to change our government because it no longer listens to the people.
I am trying to have tolerance and I do realize that Love is bigger than Hate but I’m not there yet.
I’m angry with myself too because I don’t want to be one of those “good Germans,” but I live day to day doing nothing while my country falls deeper and deeper into Fascism.
I am reminded of that song that Bette Midler sang: “From a Distance.” Yes, our earth looks blue and green and the snowcapped mountains white. Yes, the oceans meet the streams and the eagle takes to flight……from a distance.
But close up….there is war and the colors are red and black and gray as the earth is torn asunder and the body parts of the innocent mingle with the dirt and rocks. The water that was blue and clear is becoming more and more putrid with the run-off from factory farms, the chemicals from corporations oil blunders, and the blood that flows from our sea-life and humans alike.
I’m working on visualizing our world healed; on the human race as perfected; as the environment and our Earth Mother whole again….but I’m tired.
Great response by you. I am bored and tired with the anti-abortion and have wondered if it was because they need all the bodies they can confiscate to go to war and kill others. I am bored with the anti-women by most male Republicans. There was an old saying in Texas: “Keep them pregnant and in the kitchen.” Somehow they did not ‘get it’ during World War II. The women were the ones who worked in the factories while the men were off to war and the women did a damn good job. When are we going to become equal but different???? I am bored with hypocrisy and yet calling themselves ‘Christians.’ They need to take a look in the mirror.
When I started reading this I held my breath and wondered where you were going with it all!!! Then I felt relief and inspiration! More than feeling tired, I often feel too alone with the same thoughts you present so eloquently. Thank you! I printed this column out and have put it in my inspiration book.
I’m sure that I’m tired for many reasons too numerous to mention, but I sure could not put my many reasons into words so eloquent. Great job Bruce.
Thanks, John. Yeah, you look tired some times, too.
I’m re-tired. I was tired yesterday and I am tired today.
But seriously folks, I AM tired of people who forward this stuff without checking it out. Bill Cosby never said this. This was from an Op-Ed piece by MA State Senator James Hall, a former Marine. I get this probably once a month. I don’t know if Cosby agrees with it or not but he never said it.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/imtired.asp
Gawd, Dick, you’ve gotta be really tired, then.
B
just a quick response to the abortion thing. You talk of being compassionate but you compare the taking of an innocent life that didnt do anything to deserve death to the execution of someone who has taken innocent lives. I’m confused by your compassion
Thanks to all who replied that Mr. Cosby did not write this e-mail that has been circulating. I receive these types of e-mails all the time. Do me a favor. When you receive an e-mail like this, do the research. if it is not correct, do a reply all and let all those people know that it is not correct with the correct information. If we all do this, my inbox may be cut to a third of incoming e-mails. Thanks in advance for all your help!!!!
Bruce’s list is better than Cosby’s. I got bored reading the Cosby entries, and then Bruce adds his own…with a few very personal notes. Excellent.
BILL COSBY DID NOT WRITE THIS PIECE! DO YOUR RESEARCH!
Hi folks, you might want to check on the email attributed to Bill Cosby. It’s a rewrite of one called I’m 76 and tired., He didn’t write that one and he didn’t write this one. You can check it out on his web site and on snopes. Cosby may have definite opinions but I have never heard him preach the hateful drivel in this current email. Sorry your tired Bruce, but maybe you will feel better after reading this.
BILL COSBY DID NOT WRITE THIS! For crying out loud, do your research before posting crap like this!!!
My, my Suzie, two messages from you on the same subject. You must be angry. A few thoughts:
1. Yes, Bill Cosby didn’t write the essay, but someone did, and a so-called friend sent it to me for my benefit, so these sentiments are real and floating about our world – and that is disturbing.
2. What do you think of my response to the “I’m tired” invectives? That is the real meat of the piece in my judgment.
3. So, are you tired? Of what? Lazy journalists? How about tired journalists who are recovering from heart attacks?
Regardless, thanks for reading the Mountain News-WA!
Bruce A. Smith
Publisher
Not quite sure why you are getting on Suzie. I for one, always check the authenticity of forwarded emails before I would even think of sending them out (which I rarely do). Since you are publishing them, that is your responsibility. Don’t get mad at Suzie. I have seen that you had the addendum, but that wasn’t there when Suzie put her statement out. She is defending Mr. Cosby. The rest of your points are irrelevant. She doesn’t state either way how she feels and may even agree with you which may be why she didn’t write anymore. Her crap comment may be that it was crap attributed to Mr. Cosby. I think a better response from you would have been to thank her and note that you put up the addendum.
Second Point:
I do find that your expression that others have views that are contrary to yours constitutes “that is disturbing” is in fact disturbing in itself. People generally have a very myopic view of the issues. They all originate in a very small world. When someone offers to expand that view by giving additional information, there are generally 2 reactions, either accept the additional information and modify your thought or discard it and retain the initial premise. In this day of age, it has been proven that modifying ones view is showing weakness and an unfitness to have an opinion. That is sad. I watched a national personality vilify a Senatorial candidate not on their current positions, but on a scientific paper written 25 years prior which was a collaboration of a handful of scientist. The entire 15 minute interview centered on that paper. “That is disturbing”. With interaction, I have found that those who disagree with me, agree with me on over 90% of the relevant sub-issues. I usually find that the difference of opinion are usually on emotional argument as opposed to a practical argument.
My favorite quote is attributed to Maj. Frank Burns (later Lt. Col.) who said, “individuality is great, as long as we do it together.”
(the two replies are because of computer problems.)
I just got the Cosby email and knew right away it wasn’t Cosby. He said a few words years ago suggesting he thought black people should exercise a little personal responsibility now and then and was excoriated for it. Haven’t heard a peep out of him since then.
So I went looking out on the internet and I found this.
I’ll take a stab at some of your tiredness from the conservative side.
You start off with social security and medicare. Conservatives have a number of beefs with these programs. Since the government never put aside the money collected, it turns out that both these programs have become a giant pyramid scheme. And with birth rates down, it doesn’t matter if you like these programs or not, we simply will not be able to afford them much longer.
We would also point out that if the government hadn’t been taxing the hell out of him, your father might have been able to put away enough to take care of himself. Now, since we haven’t tried this approach yet, we don’t know whether it will work. Since the government programs we have now are simply unsustainable, I suspect we will have to be the experiment (minus the money we should have had if the government weren’t taxing us too much).
You clearly have some issues about war. I think that the left believes that if there are no wars, suddenly justice will spring up and everywhere people of good will start passing flowers in pretty baskets back and forth. But the world is not like that. You don’t have the choice of no people dying. The cost of bad regimes like Nazi Germany, Syria, Iran or Iraq under Saddam was lots of people dying violently as a matter of course. If you listen to Bin Laden, he claims that the reason al Qaeda felt they could attack the US with impunity was our unwillingness to engage them after many acts of war. Had we been more aggressive sooner, 9/11 may not have happened. War is complicated and we rarely get the chance to try the experiment the other way to see which way would be better. But you don’t have the choice of no people dying. The question is who, and when, and where, and how many, and why. I believe there are times when war is best possible option. Your mileage undoubtedly varies.
I am unaware of the linkage between conservatives desiring fiscal sanity and a desire to have you dead. I am, in fact, completely unaware of any conservatives that seek your demise. Perhaps you are mistaken here?
As far as abortion goes, I think there is plenty of hypocrisy on both sides. It is amusing that the sides have split the way they have. I can only say personally, I can’t really embrace either side. But that I have more respect for the pro-life side.
Unlike the way we’ve been demonized, conservatives are not racists, nor bigots. The Republican party broke off from what became the Democrat party because the Republicans did not believe in slavery. Lincoln, of course, was a Republican. And, though most don’t know this, the Ku Klux Klan was a Democrat phenomenon.
My own neighborhood is filled with those from other lands and other cultures. They come in all hues. And when I see them what I see are Americans. People that came here because they like what we’re doing and want to be a part of it. Conservatives are not alarmed by brown people or brown faces. What alarms us is the foolishness of an open southern border that has resulted in an invasion of people that are not interested in joining our little experiment in government. It’s not immigration, it’s an invasion.
We would also observe that uncontrolled immigration makes it tougher for Americans on the bottom rungs of our society. Jobs our own jobless might take are handled by illegal immigrants at wages they cannot afford. And this is only possible because we allow illegal immigrants to be cruelly exploited. We think it’s hideous and cruel what Democrats will allow as they pander for more Hispanic votes. We would observe that Mexico is pretty damn serious about their own border. Try being illegal in THAT country and see how you like it. Conservatives are not against immigration. What we’re against is uncontrolled immigration.
You know, even when we conservatives agree with you on the left about what the problems are, we think that your proposed solutions are so often really bad ways to go about doing anything. The further any country moves to the left, the worse it does. It’s always the same story. Elites choose what they think “ought” to be. It soon becomes clear the required spending isn’t sustainable. Elites cannot believe they were wrong, so they blame business or the wealthy, and they use the coercive power of the government right these wrongs. Totalitarian regimes are always the end state. Leftist ideology is the crack cocaine of political thought. When will people learn?
Greetings fustian,
Your response was a little long, so I didn’t read it entirely, as it was heading too far towards rant and not a personal response to my commentary.
Briefly, let me say that as far as war goes, please leave your vision of liberal political policy out of it, as I prefer personal dialogue. For me, when it comes to killing people I am perfectly capable of killing all my enemies all day long. Hence, I also feel perfectly capable of telling our corporatized government to back off and go find someone else to join their armies and to do their fighting. I ain’t their boy.
As for the conservatives not wanting me dead, well, kiddo, I went to some of the health care Town Hall meetings awhile back, and I’ve interviewed the founder of the Tea Party, Cari Kalindar – I may have the spelling wrong on her name as I’m writing this without access to my notes while on vacation – and from what I see in their eyes, what they say, and how they say it – well, I stand by my statement that the conservatives of America want folks like me gone – either dead in a ditch or relocated back to Mexico or someplace else – anywhere but the “Real America.”
Mr. Smith’s response proves, without doubt, that liberals are not interested in the facts, just their elitism… blah blah, blah….
The definitive proof is in the final two words of his quip, “Real America.” Think about it!
I read your entire article before responding, it is only right that you do the same. Just think had I not read your addendums. What could I be typing now!
I’ve never felt that conservatives want people like you dead. I do understand that conservatives want every person to pull their own weight and work to make something of themselves, maybe even becoming a working part of the community. I think it was more that you disagree with their solutions more than them wanting people like you dead.
Personal note.
My condolences to you for the loss of your father. It is wonderful that you had him for such a long time. I hope that you and your family are adjusting well to his loss. He was a wonderful man.
Bruce, I’m sick and tired of people who tell me that they think they know what I’m thinking just by the look on my face. You must be a clairvoyant. The bottom line is that we in this great country have the same God, yes I said God, given right to believe and feel what we feel as well as you. It doesn’t make me right but it doesnt make me wrong either.
One more quick thing Bruce, I did researce this statement supposedly posted by Bill Cosby. I am a republican, but I’m also an American who always seeks the truth and the truth is that the liberal democrats put out as much garbage and propaganda as anyone they blame.
fustian
For what it’s worth, your response to Bruce was right on. His response to you was extrememly lazy…surprising, huh? A journalist can’t even take the time to read your response yet he writes to illicit response and action.
I agree with you and most of the list attributed to Bill Cosby, though it wasn’t him. The ‘journalist’ should have checked that out. How can we believe what he writes if he won’t check his facts? I digress.
So, most of the responses on here talk about love and tolerance like they’re the same thing. They are so different and the fact that they don’t see that is disturbing. Unfortunately, that’s part of why the world is the way it is.
Should we tolerate a child being molested? No, but we’re supposed to tolerate abortion as a choice. Somehow killing a child is ok? In love shouldn’t we say when something is wrong. The choice was made when you had sex. That’s when you should have made the choice to do what was right…not when your choice now requires the killing of the innocent.
Should we tolerate marriage as being between two people, regardless of their sex? At what point does it stop? Do we tolerate pedophiles wanting what they want? I’m sure some will say they won’t let that happen, but they’re the same one pushing for same-sex marriages.
What I find hilarious and ironic, is that all those that preach love and tolerance won’t tolerate our view point. We rant or drivel and are called bigots because we don’t see their viewpoint. I wonder what they call it when they don’t see ours.
Completely agree with everything posted by fustian. Liberal Democrats generally lump anyone who opposes them into one category, describing them with falsehoods, stating that they (those who oppose them) are intolerant and filled with hate. Rather, it is those left-wingers who are intolerant of other opinions. No one is always wrong or always right. Practice your tolerance by accepting this fact.
This is quite different in tone than your first email, Jennifer.
Are you lumping me into your categorization of “Liberal Democrats?” How about moving past generalizations? Did you sit at the kitchen table with your dad and eat peach ice cream? Did he ever give you bad or dangerous advice? What did you do about it?
– Bruce
I love your response. Bravo! I’m tired of Republican relatives sending me hoax emails. I’m tired of people not getting to the real source.
I’m tired of lazy journalists
Me, too.
Agreed entirely with your response to the rant. But Cosby didn’t write it. A friend of mine sends me rightie e-mails all the time. I can invariably debunk them after five minutes googling with respect to ‘fact’ and, often, to provenance. Constant skepticism about them isn’t only the correct response, but can be wicked fun…
I am sad that the article that was attributed to Bill Cosby was in fact not written by him at all. If you will google I’m 83 and tired by Bill Cosby you will see that it came from somewhere else.
When I read the “I’m tired …” diatribe attributed to Cosby, I knew by the end of the first paragraph that he hadn’t written this right-wing drivel, that I’d been forwarded another hoax spam. It took mere seconds to confirm the source. Just a couple of clicks to determine the origin and a few more clicks to see how many schmucks had not only fallen for it, but responded with identical self-righteous ire, none more caustic than your own rant, another tired old victimization saw.
The ‘meat’ of my point is this: It takes less than a minute nowadays to establish the veracity of a remark attributed to a public figure. So why would an online news mag publisher not take a moment to verify the source? And once the error has been conceded (however briefly and reluctantly), why not retract the allegation and apologize for it? Is it that difficult to admit a mistake — in this case, ascribing comments to Cosby that he never made?
The essence of journalism is the discipline of verification. Truth is a subjective observation, but facts are verifiable. As a journalist, if you don’t get your facts straight, you don’t deserve to be taken seriously, however much you purport to ‘cherish truth’. (Speaking of which, bells should go off whenever someone spouts the sententious ‘deeper truth’ assertion.) Your straw man arguments directed at an irate commenter who pointed out this lapse are underhanded and obfuscating.
My observations: Your own hypocracies are as pale as your daddy’s. Your notion of tolerance is suspect. When people doth protest too much, I am doubly suspicious, especially of those who credit themselves with nobility of purpose.
Canadian old-geezer feminist left-winger.
Hey Leslie, wanna go out on a date? Get a glass o’ vino sometime?
I guess he’ll want his neighbors (the taxpayers) to pay for this too
This was actually written by a Massachutes politician NOT THE COZ he has a note on his web page denying this email
The only people that make any sense here are Leslie and fustian. The fact that Bruce didn’t read in full fustian’s writing tells in full how open-minded Bruce is. The fact that folks want to hide behind rant which the author was unwilling to claim tells us exactly where “journalism” is headed on the internet. Very sad. You should save some face and delete all this Bruce.
“That’s not a real puppy. It’s too small.”
Exactly.
signed : not left. not right.
I listen to rants all day long, and I deserve the right to skim over some of them when my tolerance runs dry. That’s what happened with fustian. If he chooses to respond in a more personal manner to my comments, I will be happy to read his words in full and reply accordingly.
Thought you had a lot of tolerance….
I think its great that you can list off all the things you’re tired about and it have no depth or reason to real problems that Mr Cosby was alluding too. I think its great that you’re tired of people actually trying to point out that collectivism hurts more than it helps. I’m glad that you’re so self righteous in your beliefs that you don’t cherish the times you had with your father and peach ice cream. I’m 28 and to know that the left has brainwashed you into taking an immediate reactionary counterpoint to literal problems by spouting off now nice you are to your local organic farmer or how you’ve helped other young people become apathetic as you are. I’m just glad your almost as old and on your way out too. Maybe when you and the cos are gone we can start a new. Ill take the cos’ stand point to begin because you basically said nothinh
“I’m tired because I had to accept his pale hypocrisies, listening to him entertain me with his WWII stories at 11 pm, eating peach ice cream at the family kitchen table.”
How sad that this is what you relegate your father to and as some mentioned above that no one checks the validity of these chain letters. I know I do and that’s how I came across your sad pitiful rant.
Not only are you tired, but you’re you’re lazy, in need of a psychiatrist and not too bright.
Ah, but Maria, am I good-looking and funny?
“There’s an email floating around – entitled “I’m 76 and tired” – purportedly sent by me. I did not write the email, I did not send the email, I’m not 76, and I don’t subscribe to the ugly views expressed in the email. We are coming up to an important anniversary on Sunday, which is a day when we should all come together. Whoever wrote this email is not thinking about our country, or what is important. If you get the email, it’s time to hit DELETE.”
Bill Cosby
Bruce:
I found it heartbreaking that you apparently feel such a lack of compassion for your elderly father that you would wrote: “I’m tired because I had to accept his pale hypocrisies, listening to him entertain me with his WWII stories at 11 pm, eating peach ice cream at the family kitchen table.” It sounds like you harbor great personal resentment/animosity towards your dad and his beliefs. My father is 85; one of the things he loves to do is reminisce about the past. He sometimes doesn’t remember that he has told me the stories numerous times. I listen when he shares, because I love him and it’s the right thing to do. And I hope and pray that when you and I are 85, and want to share stories with our children, they will have more love and empathy for us than you expressed for your dad. Regarding your anger towards conservatives, I think it is sad that you paint with such a broad brush, ascribing murderous hatred to an entire group of individuals whose political beliefs are different from yours. Wow, that’s real tolerance!
I think that the primary responsibility of a father to a son is to protect him. Regarding Vietnam, my father did not do that. Rather, he encouraged me to enter the military – not because he wanted me to go kill commies in the jungles of SE Asia, but because it was the smart thing to do socially and politically.
My father loved the Army, and he loved talking about it. Much of the time I enjoyed listening to it because I loved hearing how he loved his experience. But my father seemed to have a tragic disconnect in his WW II storytelling and it rarely included the fact that killing was the underpinning of his grand adventure, nor that his encouragement for my career path could very well lead to my death or that I would be compelled to kill others.
Bruce,
I lost a son last year very unexpectedly; he was just 28. The day he died, but before I knew of it, I awoke early in the morning and thought of telling him that very day to go ahead and pursue returning to the volunteer fire fighter position he had previously been training to do. I then thought “Oh no, I can’t do that; because if he were to die in a fire, I would be completely devastated. It would also be my fault, because it was I who had encouraged him to return to that job.” I thus decided I would say nothing about the issue to him that day, when he was supposed to come over and do some work for me in my home.
He never showed up. A few hours later, I learned he was dead.
All that to say that my own father, also a WW II vet like yours, had suggested to my above-mentioned son several years ago that he enter the military. I recall thinking: “NO!!! I don’t want my son to join the military!!! He could be KILLED in Iraq!”
But I think that men, especially those of our parents’ generation, realized during the 40’s that the Nazi regime was truly a danger to the world, and they viewed their military service in WW II, even though it would involve killing, as a necessary defense against horrible aggression. I actually agree with that assessment…. My father was encouraging my son to join because my dad had a great experience in the Navy, and was able to go to college on the GI bill after WW II.
My recently-deceased son did not join the military, even though his real dream was to become a Navy SEAL. He gave up his dream because his then-wife did not want to have to move around the country and leave her parents. As it turned out, his wife cheated on him, crushed his heart, and left him a few months before he died…..
I agree that the primary responsibility of a father [and a mother] is to protect one’s child. But what if all the fathers during WW II had told their American sons NOT to protect our country and the world from the evil Hitler and his regime was perpetrating on the innocent?? No, I would never have wanted to sacrifice the life of my precious son to protect our country. I say that with a sense of shame, because there are hundreds of thousands of sons who did just that….for me, and for you…
All wars seem to be different, as are the destinies of all men. We each have our path. I just ask our fathers to be real when they offer advice, that they tell the truth and are fully cognizant of the consequences.
Bruce
Marla, that is a great response. Reading between the lines of Bruce’s story, I truly suspect that Bruce assigns this dim view to his father because his father wanted Bruce to be a productive member of our society, lacking a sense of entitlement, and being responsible for his own deeds.
We should certainly feel for his father, I’m sure he is greatly disappointed.
Oops, typo: “Would write”….
Dear Mr. Smith,
I don’t believe that this is Bill Cosby’s work. I believe this is by a blogger named Robert Hall. Please see his blog at http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html . I like and admire Mr. Cosby and hope that you will note the correction. Thank you.
I guess I’ve been lucky – my dad and most ofl the other vets I’ve known WW2, Nam, Korea – carry a deep, deep sadness about the things they’ve done, seen done, and had done to them. But they thought they were doing what they had to do. I didn’t have to make the choice. Good thoughtful reply to Senator Ha
Someone please define “dirt poor” , does this mean someone can’t get enough to eat? Does it mean they are sleeping under a bridge? Iam sick of handing out food stamps and other hand-outs to people with cell phones and cable TV – this is why taxpayers have had it. America’s “poor” are a joke compared to REAL poor people – they should go to Haiti and see what the word poor really means. I would love to see how many of the 47% are really “dirt poor”
Here’s my definition of “dirt poor,” Carl. Basically, I use the term to describe someone who has the money to have a minimal survival in life and not much more. Generally, I consider myself dirt poor as I live on my monthly social security check of $803. I live in a sixteen-foot rv trailer that I rent on a buddy’s land for a few hundred a month, and I spend about $200 on utilities and phone. I can’t afford a car, so I ride buses and walk a lot of places. I have a life style that I characterize as one step above mere survival; hence, I call myself dirt poor. For me, a cup of coffee is a treat. Further, I understand that something like 40% of all Americans over 65 live entirely on their social security check, so many folks are dirt poor in this country by my reckoning, and I think Mitt would agree as he accurately sees that 47% of us don’t have the money to pay federal income taxes these days.
I certainly recognize your anger towards folks like me, as I have both a land-line phone and a cell phone; the latter is a family-plan that my sister organizes, mostly to keep her kids in check and me connected to the world and our mother. As for paying for this service, I kick in ten bucks a month when I have it, which is rare. Also, I don’t have cable-TV, but I do subscribe to Netflick, which costs me nine bucks a month. Don’t forget my $15 bucks a month for the New York Times, the hallmark of liberal media, which helps me keep track of the Tea Party and other shin-digs in the country, so, maybe you don’t totally want me dead but lots of right-wingers do, since I get free heart medication and treatment as a Medicaid recepient, and $96 a month in food stamps.
As appreciative as I am for these benefits, I don’t fully agree that I’m living by the goodwill and hand-outs of my neighbors, as you suggest. Rather, I consider these payments as part of a business deal I made with the American people about 40 years ago – namely, I’d get a job, pay my taxes, keep my nose clean and when I needed services, especially medical care, it would be available to me – and so it has, as meager as it might be.
I heartily agree that people in Haiti and lots of other places have it tougher than me – you get no argument from me on that score. I just wish that many Americans wouldn’t be so angry at me. I feel what really gets under their skin is that they consider me a loser, someone who has failed at life since I don’t have a bank account big enough to pay all my bills. That is unfair in my view; I consider it cruel and profoundly self-serving, dangerously so, since I see that so many right-wingers I know have benefited directly and indirectly by my services to society as a writer and care-giver.
Hey Bruce,
So are you suggesting in this message that you believe that the American government owes you something…when you do very little for your country and your people in return? After reading this message, from the sounds of it, they do LOTS for you…and you give less back. If anything, YOU owe America a very large debt.
If you consider all your payments a business deal, then why aren’t you pushing yourself to make sure your end of the deal is upheld? When do you hold YOURSELF accountable for your lifestyle? You have choice alone in this country, it is not a handout and it certainly isn’t a financial handout without the proper effort.
In these messages you seem to cling to a victimized mentality. I think that may be what makes people have a negative view of you. They look at your character, and view it as lazy, and unwilling to take advantage of the freedoms you have available to you. That, to many, is an incorrect mindset to have if you choose to live in America. You are essentialy disregarding the sacrifices others have made in order for you to have freedom of choice and a free enterprise system.
I think what people ultimately dislike the most is your suggestion of entitlement. That you deserve more, for doing equal or less then others, and never doing more.
By the way, Carl, not all of the 47% are dirt poor. The New York Times wrote a piece a couple weeks back when the Mitt and the 47% story broke that identified some of the 47 percenters. According to the NYT, due to their amounts of itemized deuctions on their 1040s, 20,000 taxpayers earning over $200,000 per year do not pay any federal income taxes. That number also includes 1,500 millionaires.
Sigh.
Garrett, I’m not exactly sure what you would like me to do. I gather that my attitude irritates you somehow, but it’s not quite clear what is really bothering you. You mention that I sound entitled. Well, of course I am! I paid into a governmental pension and medical plan for most of my adult life and now I expect my benefits. Why do you have a problem with that? Don’t you have the same expectation, or are you going to forego your social security check and Medicare/Medicaid benefits? If so, I’d love to hear why.
You also seem to be suggesting that I do not deserve my benefits. Why is that? Lastly, why are you so accusative and rude?
Lastly, lastly, you say I owe America a very large debt. How so?
Observing and writing truth is what you do… What I wrote is just an observation based on what I have read, and should only be considered rude should you choose to see it that way.
What I would like you to do is answer my questions in my post. When you do, I shall answer yours, my friend.
Reply from Bruce A. Smith
So, Garrett, you’re not going to answer my questions until I answer yours? I thought I had. Clearly, though, you are dissatisfied and want something else from me before you engage in a more substantive dialogue. This dynamic appears often in my conversations with right-wingers – they want battle and not love; they seek a contest with me and not the exchange of information.
That leads me ask myself: “How do right-wingers become right-wingers?” Secondly, I ponder, “How come they are on the same planet as I am when we are so different.”
A corollary to that is a question I contemplated when W was prez- “How come he’s the president of the country I live in?” The circumstances seemed so out of kilter that I thought some kind of karmic flux had gone amuck.
But as I observe more right-wingers, attend more Republican meetings as a reporter, and cover the local Tea Party Town Halls, I get the sense that conservatives are wounded people. I feel that they have deep psychic wounds and they need to protect themselves rigorously. That makes them hyper-vigilant in my view – constantly mistrusting, endlessly argumentative, and so dismissive personally – engaging in veiled bullying at every turn.
Or so it seems. Hence, you won’t answer my questions until I answer yours more satisfactorily, which is a veiled bullying tactic in my view.
Along those lines, your previous commentary contained what I consider an unacceptable innuendo – that you want me to accept your snide remarks and not be hurt by them. That’s another hallmark of right-wingers that I have observed – they never take responsibility for their actions, never acknowledging the impacts of their behavior, and basically acting like their poop never stinks. I have spent a lifetime cleaning up after conservatives as their ideology leaves a mess everywhere I turn.
I see it in my family, neighborhood and in the country. Who is going to take care of all those babies that get born when Roe v Wade gets over-turned – Democratic social workers, of course, not right-winger conservative who feel their work is done after the pontificating is finished.
I had a conversation in my family a few years ago on this topic, when I told my parents that they had never apologized to me whenever they had hurt my feelings or had caused me a difficulty. My father just shrugged and smiled wanly. I could see he didn’t have the strength to admit anything that might cause him to feel weak or vulnerable. As a result, I didn’t push the issue.
I see the same right-wing script enacted over and over in these pages, and that makes me really tired.
Nevertheless Garrett, since I see you wrote three sentences that end with a question mark, I assume those are the questions to which you would like a specific answer.
Here’s your first question:
“So are you suggesting in this message that you believe that the American government owes you something…when you do very little for your country and your people in return?”
No, I am not “suggesting” anything. Rather, I am demanding my benefits as promised, so yes, I believe the American government owes me something. And it owes something to you, too, in my view, as I have stated previously.
Your above sentence’s last phrase, “when you did very little for your country and your people in return” is preposterous. What I did to earn my social security benefits was fully established by the government and my benefits accrued accordingly. As for Medicaid, those benefits are determined in a bit more open-ended manner, but nevertheless they comply with governmental regulations and qualifications.
I find your second question confusing.
“If you consider all your payments a business deal, then why aren’t you pushing yourself to make sure your end of the deal is upheld?”
I thought I had upheld my end of the deal and it appears the government agrees since it sends me a monthly social security check, which I feel makes the notion of “pushing” myself moot. Your question then leads to the question I had asked you, and repeat again: “Why do you think I haven’t held up my end of the bargain?”
Your third question is really a rhetorical statement:
“When do you hold YOURSELF accountable for your lifestyle?”
I always hold myself accountable for my lifestyle. It is a hallmark of one of the primary teachers in my life, Ramtha the Enlightened One, and I support the concept fully. To that end, I have found that the more responsibility I take for my life, the more power I develop to enrichen it.
Also, I would like to add that I acknowledge that I do get a lot of freebies in life – my bus transportation is subsidized and my food stamps are completely paid out of current tax dollars other people are paying. To that I am most grateful and I thank each and every one of you tax payers!
Garrett, I await your answers.
Hey Bruce,
Very well written response, sir.
I was dissatisfied with the previous post because you were essentially answering questions with questions of your own… Which was somewhat odd. If that is right-wing thinking then…guess that’s me!
I do apologize if I hurt your feelings in my response to your post about being dirt-poor. I guess I felt an urge to explain some of the opposite mindset in an attempt to make sense as to why some people think of you the way they do, as you seemed to be pondering that yourself. The way I see the two personalities is like:
Left Wingers: Unmotivated. Unwilling to pursue their dreams. Unwilling to get out of their comfort zone. Do not care or remember what was sacrificed by his or her own people so that they can have the liberties and freedom that they have. Very passive personality.
Right Wingers: Motivated. Wanting to pursue goals and dreams in life. Willing to challenge themselves and fight when necessary. Very opinionated and defensive. Remember why they have the freedom they have in North America and who died defending them, and do not take those sacrifices for granted.
Hey, if you want to live the way you do, all the power to you. I just don’t see the point of making that decision to live that way and then expressing confusion why different people have a negative opinion of that lifestyle. My post was meant to explain why those people feel that way toward you, or at least make a suggestion as to why it is, as obviously everyone is unique.
In regard to your question about me having a problem with you accepting your government benefits…I don’t really have a problem with you accepting them. I do find it interesting though that you choose to be unsuccessful and poor, and then essentially complain about being tired of all the flak you have gotten about your life from the people who have worked harder then you, have sacrificed more, and don’t tolerate entitlement mentalities in Americans. Those people instead choose to earn what they have and to earn their keep in this great country.
In regard to my comment about you owing America a debt. People, thousands of people, have died so that we as Americans can live as we do. The only reason you get the benefits and privileges you do is because people left their families to fight and die for freedom. People who do not acknowledge those sacrifices, and practically insult them, tend to solicit negative responses from a lot of people.
I think accepting government benefits is fine and dandy, however I do not feel like we should live out our lives SOLELY to live off those benefits, and then complain about how meager they are. Instead, why not live to the fullest, take advantage of free enterprise, start up a business, do some investing, take some risks, and fight to live a fantastic existence instead of a wallowing in pity, victimization, and live with the poor.
Ultimately it’s your decision how you want to live, and if I judged you for that, I truly do apologize. I just don’t like it when someone spits on the ground they walk on.
Your post was a little long so if I missed anything please clarify and I will respond.
Greetings Garrett,
Thanks for a more kindly tone.
You make some assumptions about me that are incorrect, and I get the feeling that you want to use me as a template to make a statement, or declare your dissatisfaction with certain people or attitudes they may manifest.
Specifically, you write:
“The only reason you get the benefits and privileges you do is because people left their families to fight and die for freedom.”
The wars this country have fought are not the only reasons we have the freedoms and opportunities we do. There are many others. In fact my experience is that freedom must be sought every day of our lives – the pressure upon us by the powerful is extreme, and we must be vigilant and determined on a daily basis. I am equally concerned by the threats posed by Goldman Saks as I am by the Taliban. Further, I see many of my fellow countrymen desiring my death in a kind of ethnic cleansing because they don’t like my politics, lifestyle or the size of my bank account. Those folks are very real impediments to my life and liberty.
Also, the following is problematic:
“I think accepting government benefits is fine and dandy, however I do not feel like we should live out our lives SOLELY to live off those benefits, and then complain about how meager they are. Instead, why not live to the fullest, take advantage of free enterprise, start up a business, do some investing, take some risks, and fight to live a fantastic existence instead of a wallowing in pity, victimization, and live with the poor.”
Why do you assume I have not started a business? I was the owner and founder of the largest commercial beachcleaning company in the metro NY-NJ area in the 1980s, Sandsifter Beachcleaning Co. I have invested in many wonderful opportunities, including my performance career as a musician and storyteller – spending 15 months in Nashville honing my chops. In fact, my financial investments are what I lived on when my advertising revenues at the Mountain News dried up last year. Truly, I believe I have fought valiantly for a “fantastic existence” my whole life, and I salute your wonderful choice of these words.
I do not believe I am “wallowing in pity, victimization” and a life with the poor. Rather, I am reporting on the journey of my life, which I feel is the pursuit of the spiritual and creative. That takes guts and perseverance, as I am rebuked on a daily basis and face threats both veiled and material.
To the matter of courage and defense of my freedom, the gentleman who is currently running for state senator in my local legislative district has called me the only true investigative reporter working in the metro Tacoma area, and my writing on public scandals and questionable actions by governmental officials has been so sharp that the president of the local Republican Club congratulated me when I walked into a meeting a while back, saying, “So, you’re still alive!”
Some of the battles I have fought are as great as any in Fallujah, the Ardennes, or the DMZ; however, I think they are more important as the latter advanced the agenda of a corporate empire whereas mine deal with my hometown and guys who have taken an oath to protect me and the people I care about.
Editor’s Note: One of the Mountain News contributors, Paula Morris, sent us the following message in an email and has gracisouly given us permission to post it here. It is a response to the above comments:
“Oh my Bruce! Bravo to you! You answered a lot more patiently than I would. I tend to rant. I believe Right-wingers are “authoritarians” not conservatives. They have a heavy “parent” ruling over them. They are not fully developed as moral beings….they are ruled by “outside” of themselves not “inside.” “Rules” are their thing not dialogue or open-minded conversation. They are set on a track and it leads only 1 way and only a short distance. It is from A to B. They do not believe in “gray” so they don’t travel to Aa, Bb with a detour thru G before they get to C. No No. It is all black and white.
“The fact that someone could even ask you what you did for your country!!! Well, the fact is, you worked all your life, held together a family, thought about and wrote about issues in your society and contributed your mind, muscle and emotion to your world as part of being a human being on this planet……and long ago, society decided that at a certain point it would be good for older people to retire and make room for younger people. They also thought it would be nice to make sure the older people didn’t live in poverty and desperation and so provided some help, i.e., social security and medicare and now medicaid. This is all part of the agreement we have in this country that all people have value and should be cared for.
“Right-wingers for the most part seem to be “mean” spirited. They are certainly not Christ-like. Jesus would cry if he had to talk with them.”
– P
I don’t understand why anyone would have issues concerning WWII or any other war this country has been in. I remember, in my history classes that, “WE,” meaning all Americans, are decedents of forefathers from somewhere other than America. Unless you had the misfortune to be an American Indian. (Another story) History shows us that we would not be here if we did not stand up and “DIE” if we had to, for our freedoms so we could have the right to an opinion, share our life stories, or choose to eat peach ice cream. I did not join the military nor was I drafted to protect this great country, but I have to believe a lot of people sacrificed their lives so I didn’t have to. I am very grateful for those who served and will never judge them for the sacrifices they made. I will be forever in debt to them and their families. I will always feel an obligation to thank the all Vets and “respect” them to the very end.
As far as expressing the idea one would kill a prisoner over a baby. I think that rational is the most absurd thinking ever. If you come to my house and rape my wife or daughter I will have no problem sharing my 357 with the potential prisoner. A baby on the other hand is defenseless, and do I even have to spell this out? I know people do not believe in War, and Killing, and would love nothing more than to live in a bed of flowers. Those of you who think this way must obviously not know the true sacrifices those have made, so you can wake up every day in a free country and have the freedom to express yourself. Even if you don’t know how to answer a question or respond to a statement and keep on subject. Stop being a judge and jury! This BS is nothing but a huge circle of argumentative crap.
To the P. that brings My Lord and Savior into the forum. All of us will have to address our own lives in front of the ultimate Judge sooner or later. It is not for you to judge ones ability to be “Chris-Like” or if most of a certain group are the same. (“Mean Spirited”) I am sure you have a skeleton or two in your own closet.
And stop with the race issues. Race is nothing more than an excuse to try and prove someone is racist, so you can prove they are wrong about what ever your disagreement is.
All the complaining from both the left, the right and the center is sickening and pathetic. We are all here in “America” to do our part together! To work harder than any other country in the world and be the best we can together! To take care of each other and to fight together if need be! Where did we go wrong? Who are we really trying to change, and why? Are you kidding me? I hope I wake up and this all has just been a bad dream… Oh, and the rest of the world stops laughing at us all.
Sorry for the incorrect spelling (Christ-Like) and any other corrections that may need be made.
I was checking the validity of the Cosby remarks- which I suspected were not made by him– and I am glad to see they were not.
However, I must say I am always -always- amazed by how close minded some ‘liberal’ people can be. The very traits they attribute to the far right-wingers manifest themselves readily in the writings and conversations of many liberals. It’s just astounding how bitter they sound.
My Dad died a long time ago; he was a very strict task master, but what I wouldn’t give to hear him just one more time! When I was much younger, I felt as you do, but time has mellowed me and helped me realize that even if his beliefs and mine turned out to be different, he still deserved respect and not mocking; however gentle it may be.
I hope that soon you can come to understand why you made the choices you did and how they caused you to be where you are now. It’s not America’s fault, it’s not Republicans fault; the fault is yours. And for you to remark that people wish you dead, well ..that is just bull hockey! Do some research.
Greetings Red,
In case you missed this in the preceeding commentaries, I take full responsibility for all the choices I’ve made in my life. I do not blame anyone for my state in life. That said, I am angry at those who want to remove the benefits that I both depend upon and feel I deserve.
As for the efforts of right-wingers to kill the so-called “losers” of this world in the veilied “ethnic cleansing” manouver of withdrawing health benefits, what more research would you like me to do? I’ve covered conservative poltics as a journalist for years, and have interviewed leading memebrs of the Tea Party and the Republican Party. When Cari Kalinder says she wants to totally dismantel Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, what part of that am I misinterpreting? Such action will lead to the deaths of many people, in my view.
As for my dad, I do not mock him. Rather, I praise his many generosities to me. However, I am also angry at him for his self-serving view towards my military service. I say my life is more important than the respect of his friends. If sons can not count on their fathers for protection, we are in deep doo-doo.
Saying your father’s WW II service had killing as an underpinning ignores the basic facts of how the Allies and the Axis powers conducted the war. I suppose you wish we hadn’t fought WW II and that we were all speaking German or Japanese and hunting down the last of the Jews?
Schwein.
I agree fully, 100% with Bill Cosby.
All I want to know is, did he vote for King Obama?
If so, Cosby is part of the problem.
I respectfully disagree with all of your statements. I save lives. I have my own opinions as well, but it would do no good to voice them here, as you undoubtedly won’t be moved. Since I’m certain that neither of us would yield an inch, I’ll just disagree and say good day. Have a wonderful day.
Good day, OED Team Leader US Arny. I’m not certain that people don’t change, EOD. Several of the above comments, especially from Garrett, clearly show a change of attitude.
There’s NOTHING but truth in what Bill Cosby said. He’s very wise. We live in a world with less and less civility. To disagree with him, you have to be totally unaware of this. Either you are in denial or you live in a dreamworld or you live where none of this goes on???? Thanks GOD for Bill Cosby, a man of wisdom who does not mind speaking TRUTH.
are you kidding me? Abortion takes the life of an innocent. The death penalty is used on someone who has committed horrible acts such as murder. You’re sick.
No, I’m tired.
I can only imagine how very tired you are, Bruce! Carry on, my righteous friend…
Bruce,
I’m tired of pale and shallow research by supposed journalist regardless of their political persuasion. I received the “I’m Tired” essay on my Facebook page today along with its misattribution to Bill Cosby. Have you heard of Google? Or Snopes? In less than one minute I discovered that not only was Bill Cosby not the author, but that his website features a denial of any association with the views expressed by the author who happens to be Robert A. Hall, a Marine Corps veteran and former Massachusetts state senator. Mr. Hall blogs as The Old Jarhead at http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/ , the source of the original article.
My father was a veteran of WWII and Korea and I too delivered my dad’s eulogy in 2006 so I do not understand how you can use those feelings honoring your father’s life to defend and justify calling him a hypocrite. You really have some unresolved issues. None of us are perfect so most if not all of us are hypocrites to some extent. It takes a wise man to know when he is wrong, and a strong man to admit it. As fathers we must filter the good and the bad from our own childhood so that we may become better men than our dads. We owe that not only to them, but more importantly to our own sons. That is my hope for my sons, that they grow up to be a better man than me but that will not happen unless I learn from the good my dad taught me as well as the mistakes he made. I think your dad would want the same of you regardless of your political views; try not to let him down.
Brian Sellers
Thank you for this. I am tired for many of the same reasons as you are. I have shared this on my FB page because the “Cosby” diatribe seems to be making the rounds there once again.
I’m tire too. I’m tired of people not checking the source of their message before blindly passing on the hoax of the day. I’m particularly tired of people like YOU, Mr. Bruce Smith, who not only didn’t fact check the story but used it as a foundation to build your crumbling house of resentment toward your father. You, sir, are the lowest form of human life. You disparage the service of your father and of veterans in general. Your reference to Vietnam vets liking to kill is a patently false representation of veterans in general though you represent it as the standard. I don’t mind your pacifism as a personal stand because I respect the Constitutiopn of the United States of America and the first amendment in particular, but to trumpet that as a standard to bear for all behind the veterans that make possible your ability to do so is not pacifism, it’s cowardice.
Todd J. Tolson
U.S. Navy Retired
Bruce,
Your carefully nuanced and intelligent writing/response to many right-wingers who have written is quite refreshing. I believe that some people, liberals included, can become so blinded by their own ideology that it is hard to have an honest, open dialogue. To admit that we are wrong in our opinions, or at least some of them, is to admit we have flaws and that’s a difficult thing to do. We are taught in our society that we must win at all costs – any other course is weakness – so logic, intelligence and thoughtfulness isn’t part of the equation any longer.
When I listen to conservatives, I believe that this is their primary problem, although I find myself shutting down to the opinions of others from time-to-time as well. The insanity of right-wing politics, trickle down economics and militarism is lost on them because their worldview is so based on their own experiences (or more often, what they percieve as their own experiences) that anything else is anathema.
When he spoke of the “inhuman power of the lie”, Boris Pasternak was talking about the horrors of starvation brought on by the forced farm collectivization in the USSR in the early 1930’s. Nobody wrote an “official” word about the famine, therefore, it did not exist. Ironically, the far right-wing is similar to the far, far left wing in this regard. One can see the poverty, misery and war that stems from right-wing thought – and indeed, even be one of its victims – yet still be unwavering in one’s faith in the thought itself. Left-wingers like yourself can speak truth to power all you want, but to many, it’s simply noise by a “loser”. Many will go to their graves, hastened by the people who put them there, and continue to insist that it’s the damn liberals who are ruining the nation. The sad part is that they enrich the very same people that impoverish them. When we no longer have voices such as yours, the smoke-and-mirrors job will be complete.
Do not despair. Keep up the good fight.
Greetings Soap Tail,
Although I often publish controversial messages on the Mountain News, your comments didn’t make the cut because your remarks were unsupported.
Yes, you did provide links, but our job as readers is not to do your homework. If you want us to know about Mr. Cosby’s behavior, please use standard literary formats to prove your point in the text. Please cite where the behaviors can be verified.
Also, your post appears to be a cut and paste type of commentary. Usually, I frown on those types of messages. If you have something that you want Mountain News readers to know, please tell us in a less politicized and robotic manner.
Thanks,
Bruce A. Smith
Editor
The Mountain News