Who Knew I Was Ultra Right?

I'm not ultra right, and can barely stand the hotheads, wingnuts, liars, and frauds who are. I don't watch or listen to these goofs, except a minute here, a minute there, or maybe if I'm stuck in a waiting room. Even then I'd rather step outside in the below zero temperatures than to be subjected to it.

So these people like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, there's nothing to me. I can't say they're dead to me because they were never alive.

But I read something today at Daily Kos -- maybe I heard something about it a few days ago -- that these clowns, who think they speak for average Americans (c'mon, they're elites if anyone is), "surround us," whoever the "us" is supposed to be. Me, I guess. So I clicked on the link at DKos, and guess what? Their "principles" are mostly common sense stuff that almost anyone could find agreement with, at least according to their own standard of "at least seven" out of the nine.

I suppose actual atheists would disagree with the one about God. For me, God is not a problem whatsoever, and it'd be my true opinion that even atheists could interpret that, if they knew about it, in a broader way, like with Paul Tillich, being their "ultimate concern." But set that aside.

Here's the list of principles and a few nudges from me.

The Nine Principles

1. America is good. - Yes, I think America is good. But what is America except "We the People"? And it's clear that the right wingers, like everyone else, don't think all Americans are good. Their political opposition, the people they're against at this very minute, and of course prisoners, murderers. Not everyone is good. As a concept, America is good, but there's no reality without the people and living up to your values. I've never been anywhere but America. I've always believed in the place. That doesn't mean everything is unambiguously "good." But by and large, sure, America's not just good, it's great!

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life. - If you believe in God, follow the highest values. Don't make excuses, but apply yourself to the highest things and stay on the path.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday. - It's good to have the motivation toward self improvement. I would have phrased this "principle" slightly differently. Rather than just centering in on honesty, they have the "12 values" following, I would have concentrated this statement on those values as a whole. Such as "I must always try to live out my values more and more." Honesty is great. I love honesty, tempered with mercy, but honesty in business, dealings, etc., of course. As for this principle I don't want to be saying I wasn't an honest person yesterday, though.

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. - The word "sacred" bothers me in terms of the family. It seems like "sacred" is a word that should be used for God more and us less. Maybe "central" would be a better word, but I catch the drift; it's good. As for "My spouse and I," a lot of people don't have a spouse, and we know better than to say generally that we're "the ultimate authority." Because it depends on what it is. We're the ultimate authority on where we're going to live, where we're going to go to school, what our kids are going to read at home, etc., and on lots of other things. But the government obviously has authority over us. We can't park our car in the middle of the street. We can't proclaim ourselves divorced and have it be legal. We can't shoot our neighbors. We can't secede from the union, the United States and my family.

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. -- Of course I agree with this. It somewhat contradicts number 4, because you have to assume it's the government who's making you pay the penalty, unless vigilante justice is what they have in mind here.

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results. - Of course that's true.

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable. - Of course that's true. Obviously government can force you to pay taxes, since there are laws (see number 5). And if you break the law you pay the penalty. But as for normal charity, number 7 is good.

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion. - People on the left said this for eight long years about the Bush administration. But in those years it was judged unpatriotic to disagree with authority. And sharing one's personal opinion could even get you death threats. I remember an idiotic restaurant that had a sign that said they wouldn't serve anyone who ordered "French fries." It had to be "Freedom fries" or no fries for you. It was Bush who said you're either with him or with the terrorists.

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me. - I've said this repeatedly over the years. Everyone seems to forget, whether the president is George Bush or whoever, that he is our employee. He is in office to serve us.

I basically have no problem with the principles. They seem to have a "rough draft" quality to them and could have been phrased better, but hey!

The "12 values" are less ambiguous, more definite. They are:

* Honesty
* Reverence
* Hope
* Thrift
* Humility
* Charity
* Sincerity
* Moderation
* Hard Work
* Courage
* Personal Responsibility
* Gratitude

Each one of these is an excellent value.

And I'm not ultra right. So if they're looking for agreement by "surrounding" us, they got it!

John McCain Didn't Love America?

I'm what you might call a patriot. I was born in a country. And because it was the country I was born in, I love it. And I know there isn't any better place. I've always knowed that.

I've lived in this country ever since I was born here, and I ain't never lived no place else. You could say I love where I was born with all my heart. Do you know what it's like to love your country with all your heart? It's like this -- you don't take kindly to anybody who don't also love her the same way that you do. And -- I dunno -- I get kinda steamed up around the neck and ears, the cheeks and gums, and I'd just like to kick the crap out of 'em...

When a man loves his country and lives in his country, he knows it's the best place on earth. Nobody has to teach him!

Now, just in case you don't know where I'm talkin' about -- you must be kinda dumb -- I'm talking about America, buddy. That's the land I love and I'm proud of. There ain't no other.

Anyway, I'm sittin' here lookin' at the Hazzard County paper for Friday, and I'm seein' a big old picture of a leftist pinko by the name of John McCain. How do I know that's what he is? Well, first, I can just tell one. I got the spirit. I know how to do lots of things. I can "smell" when the fish are bitin'. I don't look in the almanac. I've got my "Love It or Leave It" bumper sticker on Ole Betsy, my truck, and I can tell things by that. If one of them hippies or pinkos or commies turns up his nose, or maybe looks at it cross-eyed, or crosses by on the other side of the road, I know I got me one. Time for kickin'.

But now, what do I see in the paper today? Only that John McCain says, "I didn't really love America until I was deprived of her company." I need to read that again, real slow like, I mean slower than usual. He did-not-REALLY love America? So what was he doin' all that time? He must've been just sayin' he loved America, but in his heart he had a hatred, a despite, like some of them hippie critters. I'm tellin' you, any man don't love America ain't fit to be my commander and chief, simple!

Oh, he says, he had to be "deprived of her company," he says, before he decided that maybe he could bear down and find it in his puny little selfish heart to love America. Huh! That's no man I could vote for. If you're born there, you gotta love her! You just gotta love her, no questions asked. What'd they teach that boy when he was growin' up, that your own country is a place you don't love till you get around to it? Pitch pennies all day and salute the flag if you ain't too tired to raise your arm? He took to his mama the first time he was thirsty, didn't he? Every filthy animal knows enough to do that! You don't gotta be taught! But John McCain didn't love America till he one day he found himself deprived. That sounds like somethin' ... from France.

But, as everybody knows, I was already lookin' askance at McCain. Everybody knows I was for Tom Tancredo right along. And Jim Dobson for vice. Gettin' John McCain is like goin' to the prom dance with the high school queen, then wakin' up next to your neighbor's goat. It might do in a pinch but you hate to be seen with it.

I already knew there was somethin' wrong with McCain anyway, when me and the boys saw in the paper how he treated his first old lady. Now there's somethin'. He was deprived of his first old lady's company and came back home and didn't love her at all! That's when he took up with this new filly -- what's the little heifer's name, Cindy? -- sin he did! She's got some looks all right -- neck down. But she's a hard lookin' woman. If I had her features in my toolbox I could cut glass and fix every broken window in the county! He dumped the other gal -- she was crippled up like Aunt Agnes, but old Uncle Cy kept her around; she could still cook, once you got her situated at the stove.

Hey, let me get on out of here. I got a honey-do list a mile long to take care of. I've got a whole sack full of cats to drown. And after that the rest of it ain't much fun.

But everybody knows around these parts that I love America. Like I said, I was born here. And this is most likely where they're gonna bury me. And I can't vote for any man -- any fool -- who stands up and trash talks her like that. McCain saying he didn't love America? There's somethin' wrong with that boy...