Thursday, November 6, 2008

Remember what we have here...


I'm sorry to bore you guys with all this political talk, but I promise to be done with this very, very soon. Arthur sent in this comment:

David Letterman wrote this:

'As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.' 'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?'

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?
B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?
D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?
E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state.
F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?
G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.
H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.
I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.
J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.
K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.
L. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.
M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here. I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

-David Letterman

20 comments:

Mottel said...

Great letter - for the record, though, it was not written by Letterman

Anonymous said...

Are you sure that was written by letterman?

Sounds like the same idea as Reb Yerucham Levovitz's shmuzen being based on Tanya.

Arthur said...

Who wrote it?

Anonymous said...

Craig Smith

Anonymous said...

it was written on 2005

LkwdGuy said...

Suggested reading:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

Anonymous said...

This letter is unbelievable. It is lacking basic logic and it is beyond my understanding how can an intelligent person publish it.

Hope you will not now tell the victims of child abuse to stop complaining and be grateful for all the chumash they learned from their abusers.

Tzig, your last few posts are very disappointing and show that because of your political believes you are willing to compromise on almost all basic requirements of dignified writing... very sad.

Anonymous said...

who wrote it ?

Anonymous said...

well said.

only exception is that WE JEWS thank hashem/g-d, not the lord.

Arthur said...

I beg to differ with Chaim.The letter might not be a shakespearian essay but it makes sense.There are many Gedolim that referred to the USA as a "gebencheder Medina".Of course there are people that are suffering whether here or in any other country "blessed" or not but the fact remains that we have a lot more to be thankful for here in the USA then any other country in yhe world.
As to David Letterman not being the writer,the important thing is the message not the messenger.
The name "lord" is used as a translation as the Yud Kay Vov Kay in almost all English suiddurim.

Arthur said...

"I beg to differ with Chaim"
I should have written Shimon S.Sorry about that.

Arthur said...

I didn't realize that my post was a "dvar Torah" or a "pilpul" and therefore was not medakdake in what I posted.I will however be more careful in the future.

Arthur said...

ShimonS said
"IHope you will not now tell the victims of child abuse to stop complaining and be grateful for all the chumash they learned from their abusers."
I suggest that you view the following about gratefulness and hope.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I0DRk8dFj

Arthur said...

The correct URL for my above post is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I0DRk8dFjI

Arthur said...

I just want people to keep something in mind. Despite your personal feeling on the Rubashkin scandal, there are 1000’s of people that rely on this plant for their Parnassah and livelihood.

The workers and families that live there are not the Rubashkins. They are people just looking to make a living and provide for their families. They are Frum Yidden who are facing terrible finanical. futures and we need to keep that in mind

From Shmais:

Due to the May immigration RAID:

Our small town of Postville has reduced in population from 3000 to 2200. We have 850 housing units of which 300-400 are directly connected to Agriprocessors or people who derive their living from Rubashkins in some way. The housing market has plummeted due to the raid.

There are approximately 100 committed Postville families (own a home etc.) who have not seen a paycheck for several weeks and don’t know how long it will be until they do see one.

These people are still teaching, cooking for yeshiva bochrim, and shechting!! They are Jewish mothers who are standing on the assembly line packing chickens to be shipped to YOUR grocery.

These families are committed to Agriprocessors and to Postville.

We have a non-profit, tax-deductible fund set up for the benefit of these working families. Receipts will be mailed to you. For donations, see below:

JRC, (Jewish Resource Center)
P.O. Box 730
Postville, IA
52162.
OR, phone credit/debit info to: 563.864.3450
$$ amount,
CC #
exp. Date
3 digit security code
zip code of billing address for your card.

Anonymous said...

arthur,

one of us two is missing here the point. This old letter has a new introduction that makes it claim againts those who dare to be critical about the present president and his government. This has nothing to do with U.S.A. Look:

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the DIRECTION the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of THE PRESIDENT.. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a CHANGE. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?'

And then he continues to talk about things that have nothing at all to do with W...

Anonymous said...

Summary: Article attributed to late-night talk show host David Letterman labels the majority of Americans "ungrateful, spoiled brats" for saying they're unhappy with the current direction of the country.

Description: Email hoax
Circulating since: July 2008 (this version)
Status: Falsely attributed to David Letterman

Arthur said...

Hoax said
"Description: Email hoax
Circulating since: July 2008 (this version)
Status: Falsely attributed to David Letterman"
I am fully aware that the letter was not penned David Letterman.Be that as it may as mentioned previously the message here is of importance not the messenger.

Anonymous said...

I stopped watching him on tv ages ago, because of his anti-american and conservative and religious bashing commentary. I find it highly improbable this bitter unfunny man would write anything positive about Bush, he's never done anything but malign him in public.

Chavi said...

America may have all the things mentioned in the letter but a large percentage are missing a few things such as: Purpose, Respect, Trust, Goals and Family values.

It's no wonder to me that Americans are so genuinely unhappy.