Free Speech or Verbal Assault?

I am interested in a lot of divergent things. Consequently, I am on a lot of different lists and groups dealing with a myriad of topics.
But in all of those areas having little or no relation to one another, I find a very common thread that irritates me to no end.

For example, yesterday I received a message on a list for Honda Silver Wing owners. A Silver Wing is a motor scooter of the large variety- 650cc's. My particular one has a towpac installed. That is a set of outboard wheels that make the scooter look like a tryke. It is a lot of fun and we not only like riding it, but talking about it and comparing notes with other owner/riders.

The irritating message? " So do you want to have a one night stand?"

What in the world does the writer of this message have in mind? Does she think that all or even any people who ride these scooters are into our particular sport so that we can meet people to have casual sex? Is that the reason to ride a scooter?

And the same is true with a whole lot of the lists I am on. People make ignorant and obscene offers and comments on a regular basis on nearly all of them. The only ones exempt from this ignorance are those that the owners regulate, just for the purpose of keeping these depraved individuals off of them. We have to go to extra efforts to keep someone from making inappropriate and off track statements.

This is not what the right of free speech is about. It is not one of our most sacred rights so that people can blurt out offensive and inappropriate garbage. And I am not making a judgement about the right to view pornography or other sexually explicit material. In fact, I think an adult should have the right to see naked people if he or she wants to. But I do not think that gives them the right to impress their views on me and place these things on lists that have nothing what-so-ever to do with the stated purpose of that list. This goes for the printed word as well as the pictures that ultimately are the focus and intent of the messages.

But, many of these people are not content to have the freedom to express themselves. They relish the opportunity to get in other people's faces, ruin the atmosphere of a site, force their views on others who obviously don't agree and cause extra work and grief to anyone and everyone they can. The real shame of the Internet is that we can't actually get to meet these people, face to face. I would love that- but then again it might get me in a whole lot of trouble, but I'll bet that for a change I would not be the upset one after the meeting!

Personal Rights vs the Common Good

It seems that civil rights and personal bias have taken over to the detriment of good common sense.
Race pride and ethnic posturing are more in favor in some quarters than the honor of living in the greatest country the world has ever known. And some people are willing to see that country come crashing down as long as their special interests get the attention they want.
Arizona is trying to enact and uphold laws designed to protect all US citizens, but the bleeding heart fanatics are against that as long as the people who are committing the illegal acts are of their same nationality or color.
The very thing that we were proud of during the freedom marches has become a curse that threatens to tear down laws that protect those very same people as well as all other members of our society.
So Al Sharpton and others are going to Arizona, where they do not live, to force the issue that the people who do live there must allow anyone in a minority to be in the state, live there, work there, and get governmental assistance in one form or another whether or not they are legally entitled to be in the country. Then they will go back to their own neighborhoods and leave the residents to deal with all the resulting problems.
If these hate mongers- and that is what Sharpton and others like him really are-are allowed to force the government and legal citizens of Arizona to ignore their own rights to be protected by that same government and its officers, then the US of A is on its way down the drain.

Is everyone a politician?

I have started to recognize some disturbing trends in the news. It seems everytime I see something on TV or through emails, there is an immediate contention from both sides. And that is to be expected I guess, but the disturbing part is that the reaction happens no matter what the subject.
Case in point-- recently Obama was quoted as saying something about Las Vegas and that people should not go and gamble their money if they have children in need of a college education.
I am definately not an Obama supporter, but that statement sounds about right to me- what ever his color or his politics. But, no, there was immediate reaction even to the point that the Mayor of LAS VEGAS said that Mr Obama was no longer welcome there.
Then a day later I see on my computer that bad old MS Obama gave an interview and made a statement that her girls were put on a diet since there was some tendancy to gain weight from what they were eating.. And again the immediate attacks---- she was harming her daughters future because she made public the poor little tykes tendacy to gain weight.
I can't for the life of me, figure out what to be mad about conerning the Obama's thoughts, words and actions in these matters.
He is MY President---- like it or not-- vote for him or not---he still is! At times I am mad at the voters and those especially who did not vote, and would like to see a change made in the election process, but still- under the present rules, he is the leader.. We, the people, said so.
And when he does some stupid thing, I have the right, duty and priveledge to say so and call him to account within the limits of my abilities.
But as a US citizen I also have the responsiblity to pick and choose which things to support him in and which things to call him on.
And those things should not, must not, be colored by party loyalties, political pressure or public opinion tides.
And the part that really irritates me is that there is so much of it that I no longer can trust anything I see, on the air, in the papers or on my computer. Due to the vehemence and nature of the things I am sent, and the often subsequent truth that disproves the "facts" I am sent, I have begun to doubt everything I see and read.
All this hateful, mindless finger pointing and name calling is just garbaging up the important items in our existance.
We should stop this, get behind our leaders and let them know we are there and will support them or roll right over them if they do not do things OUR WAY!
So, Rock ON Mr President-- tell the big money gambling groups to keep their opinions in Las Vegas like their commercials say-- and Ms Obama-- you just keep telling your kids what and how much to eat, like a reasonable Mother should!

Homeland Security?
Does it seem to you as it does to me that our current leaders are so politically correct that they can't seem to be able to stand up for us? Everything that happens seems to spark some response from them indicating where we have done something wrong.
The most recent case in point is the attempted bombing of the airliner by the underwear bomber.
In this case, Janet Napolitano, Homeland Secretery, was conspicuous in her failure to lead by asserting that the system worked just fine---even though the bomber got past several layers of security and an outright warning by the bomber's own father that he was a threat to our security.
But Janet still said that everything worked well and everyone did there jobs right. I wonder if he might have been some outright awards if the bomber had only killed a few innocent people.
NO- it seems to me that the system did NOT work well and the only people who did their jobs well were the passengers whose jobs did not include tackling a mad bomber while they were travelling on personal business.
So now, to assure she still has a job, she is championing new equipment, new procedures and futher invasion of our privacy because she is too unfocused to apply sanctions against our enemies and those who unwittingly assist them by not doing their jobs.
I think there is one other person who is failing in his job responsibilities to us, the US Citizenry.
That is President Obama. His responsiblity now, I think, is to remove Janet Napolitano from her position and replace her with someone who can see the problems more clearly and is not interested in spinning stories to cover up failures of persons under her command, as well as her own lack of leadership.

Killing Him Softly?

I suppose I will be in a very small minority when I say that I am tired of all the coverage on TV and the newspapers about Michael Jackson's death.
The part that really irritates me is that it seems that everyone is out to do his or her best to make the King of Pop into the God of Pop.
Here is the part that will, I am sure, invite a lot of anger towards me and if readers could know who I am personally, probably some physical threats. Michael Jackson was not an admirable man! In many ways, he was not even a good man.
Don't read anything into this- NOone could dance like Michael, and very few could sing like him. His shows were highly entertaining and as an entertainer he will probably live forever. And maybe that is as it should be. Phenomenal talent deserves a place in history.
But in many other areas, he was not someone to emulate--- or possibly even be around.
Leaving aside the allegations of his relations with young boys, which are not proven, just look at the lavish lifestyle and the eccesses he made a part of his daily life. Million dollar shopping sprees? How and why is that something to admire?
And the way he raised his kids? People are flocking to the camera to say what a good parent he was. Just look at those poor little kids. Good thing they are rich, they are going to need a lot of money for mental health visits.
A kind and gentel spirit, many say. How does that translate into leaving the mother of his children out of the will? How does that translate into using all that money and power to keep her from raising her own kids?
But- all this is only my opinion. There will be many who lionize Michael- who hold him up as some kind of Saint. To them I say this: listen to what Michael himself said on many occasions.
He complained that he could not go out in public, he could not visit a park with his kids, he had to have bodyguards around him and his children all the time. That is not something we can blame Michael for- that is something we have to look in the mirror to place blame.
Wacho- Jacko-- maybe he was in some ways, but how much of that was our fault? How much of that was a logical response to too much idolotry?
How much of the craziness of Michael's and other famous persons' lives are we responsible for?
Bob D