The Public Opinion Soapbox

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

It reminds of that lady on The View:

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Is the world flat?
SHERRI SHEPHERD: Is the world flat? (laughter)
GOLDBERG: Yes.
SHEPHERD: …I Don't know.
GOLDBERG: What do you think?
SHEPHERD: I… I never thought about it, Whoopi. Is the world flat? I never thought about it.

She went on to say she's been too busy thinking about feeding her kids or something like that.

Since when is being a mom an excuse for ignorance these days? My mother raised me and was very much on top of current events. She even found time to read books and go back to school.

And worse than the fact that so many Americans are woefully ignorant, is that they're apathetic about their ignorance! Flat or round, I don't care, i got too much on my mind like "McDonald's or Burger King." How can things like this not be important. It's why politicians and news programs that don't ask you how to think but TELL you how to think are so successful. Because people sit down and watch them with a "so what's my opinion today Bill?" attitude.

And this is what so many people like me and some of us on these boards have a problem with.

koozie · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 124

I don't always agree with what Bill has to say. Sometimes he can be rather overbearing as far as talking over people and not allowing them to finish what they are saying, he does that to people on both sides of the arguments. To answer your question about Ann Coulter, she deserves everything she gets because she is one of those rabid right wingers who doesn't do anything but make conservatives look bad, just like there are those far leftists who do nothing but make the liberals look bad. So, I would say that there are those on both sides that should just keep their mouths shut because they do nothing but spew venomous hatred towards others.
No, I'm not one who votes along party lines. I vote for the candidates that are worthy of the position that they are running for. I've actually been thinking of changing my status to Independent. As far as the Presidential election, I haven't seen candidates from either side that are worthy of the position. I'm not much on politics because politicians are out for themselves and not about the people they represent. I keep up to date on the news that interests me, politics is not one of those things that does. Couldn't care less who is winning in Iowa or New Hampshire, because what does it all mean? Absolutely nothing when it comes down to it. Am I a Bushie? No, I don't agree with everything he has done, especially getting us into a war without an exit plan. But, I'm grateful that there is finally a General over there running things the way it seems it should have been run from the beginning. Maybe we will be able to get our boys home a little sooner. Do I agree that we should even be there? No. Afghanistan? Yes. Do I know soldiers who are over there fighting? Yes, my son's friends are the brothers who were featured in the PO. The twins are enduring their second tour, thankfully one is coming home right after Christmas and will not be deployed again, hopefully. So, I guess you could say that I'm not for the war but support our soldiers who are fighting it. So, say what you will about me. Not everyone agrees with everyone else and just because my opinions may differ from others doesn't make me a bad person and doesn't mean that I'm ill-informed because I don't watch the news programs that you do.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

See, now that's the kind of response I would think is worthy of anyone's respect koozie, regardless of differing opinions or ideologies.

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 2136 Location: shippensburg

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 3043 Location: Chambersburg

Koozie,
It has already been said, but I'll say it again; there was nothing offensive in your last post. You spoke your heart and that's never wrong.

(Okay, well I guess there are times where speaking your heart can ruin friendships or get you arrested or just be unbelievably awkward--so I s'pose there are times where the heart should just be quiet, but your post was just lovely...really.)

I enjoy discussions with people who disagree with me. I prefer they come to the table with some meat rather than microwaved left-overs from someone else's snack though. I want to understand why people think they way they do. I want to see 'opponents' as people and not just mindless Limbaugh/O'Reilly drones that say things like 'Half-rican American.'

As for my "Oh, Christ" comment, I gave a little taste of what I thought I was getting. After reading your preceeding post, that was all I could think that was fit to print. I should've taken a few more breaths before responding...blame it on my Scot-Irish in-your-face American flare (I'm working on it.)

I don't know how old your child(ren) is(are) but my son is 11 and we've been discussing politics and both major & minor news since he was five. I suppose its because we were a military family, so we had to talk about things other families can ignore. He is currently an Obama supporter and I pick on him about his choice (he does the same to me.) Apparently, most of his fifth grade class are also Obama supporters with their teacher refusing to comment. Never underestimate the SpongeBob vote.
I mention this to point out that even if you aren't talking to your kids about politics, their friends are. Don't you want to get your two cents in before the kids hit rebellious teenage years?
_________________
Nevermind.

koozie · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 124

My son is 22 and very opinionated about things that go on in the world today and calls it as he sees it, but not to stubborn to listen to others points of view, the same way that I am. I'm not the kind to look down upon others for differing views and not one to try and argue my point until I'm blue in the face or get irate about it, I would just as soon walk away and take a few breaths and come to the realization that there is no reason to get upset over something trivial. I'm just a little emphatic about certain things such as the Christmas thing. This country has been celebrating Christmas as a national holiday for decades and for the life of me can't figure out why all of the sudden it's an issue for some that they want to take a stand against it. Makes no sense why all of a sudden its their mission in life to spoil it for so many. That is the reason behind me saying what I did in my post earlier, not to make someone irate, just a personal objective of mine to keep Christ in Christmas, nothing against those who don't believe but just my own personal belief. You are probably thinking that it's a "Bill OReilly" thing with me, but it is not. It has been a thorn in my side for a long long time to see "Merry X-Mas" instead of Merry Christmas. Just a little pet peeve of mine I guess.
Anyway, I'm glad that you have all seen me in a new light. I figure you had this perception of me as one who bows down to the almighty OReilly, but even tho I do enjoy watching him, it is not like his word is gospel to me. I am a free thinker and speak my mind, not someone elses.

AnonyMouse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 522

koozie - I imagine someone else will describe the origins of X-mas, so I won't. What I do want to ask about is - how does it take Christ out of Christmas for you if a city doesn't display a creche or merchants are sensitive to and inclusive of other religions by saying "Happy Holidays"? Isn't having Jesus at the center of your celebration a personal thing? My family and I deliberately choose to reject the consumerism/materialism mentality and focus on what matters at Christmas. What's happening in town squares or on the teevee news isn't particularly relevant to us.

I think O'Reilly and Dobson and similar ilk are lighting fires then fanning their own flames and claiming that there is some secular attack. But even if they are right, what does living in a secular society have to do with your own faith? Jesus and his disciples certainly didn't live in an accommodating society, but his message exploded in a relatively short period of time. Some would even say that persecuition is good for the church.
_________________
Now, go spread some peace, love and understanding. Use force if necessary.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

It would seem to me that "the Christmas thing" wasn't an issue at all until conservative commentators picked up on the fact that some retailers were saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas exclusively. This is because, all across the country, there are people in America that do not celebrate Christmas. Not just atheists and crazy, left-wing moonbat liberals, but also Jews and Muslims and Hindus and all of the other great cultures, religions and ethnicities that make up America. I think the owners of these retail stores just wanted to be amicable and felt that Happy Holidays was an appropriate way of doing so. Yes, it's a very small percentage that don't celebrate Christmas, but retailers do this out of respect for their employees and customers despite the fact that here in rural America, not only does it seem that everyone is Christian, a lot of people here are upset that some people might not be.

If people were truly offended by the thought of celebrating a religious holiday, then they'd be upset over Happy Holidays too. And the thought that people really are actually upset or annoyed when people say Merry Christmas is nothing short of a myth perpetuated by these conservative talk show hosts and religious televangelists. Using things like this to get you riled up koozie is part of their shtick and anything that they can blame on, collectively, "liberals" and/or "hippies" is what gets them the highest ratings of all.

But most of all, I just won't understand why this matters at all. I was in Target the other day and they have a huge "MERRY CHRISTMAS" banner hanging up. I guess this is a direct result of all the attacks and calls for boycotts they've received from these Warmongers of Christmas doomsdayers. Is it really that big a deal either way? I mean, seriously... if there were any problem with Christmas, it's the ridiculous over-commercialization and not a friendly holiday greeting.

One great way to appeal to this is the X-Mas thing too; I'm not sure where or when X-Mas became "taking the Christ out of Christmas" but it's simply not true. X-Mas has been used for centuries as a direct representation of Christ. X = Christ. This is a shorthand that has been used by Christian church.

Koozie, I do encourage you to read this Wikipedia entry on the origins and usage of Xmas instead of Christmas and the history of using X as a direct representation of Christ. When I pointed this fact out to another poster who became irate over "taking the Christ out of Christmas" she wanted absolutely nothing to do with it, which just shows me a lot of this War on Christmas stuff is in people's heads and most have made up their minds that liberals and secularists (or O'Reilly's famous enemies, the "secularist progressives") are out to get them, despite this being far, far from the truth.

I'd love to continue this discussion with anyone interested; I feel pretty strongly about the War on Christmas itself... but I feel strongly that it's a myth that's been blown out of ridiculous proportion and is preying on the good, simple nature of well-meaning, conservative, Christian people.

koozie · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 124

I certainly do not have a problem with people saying "Happy Holidays", in fact I say it myself to the patients at work, knowing full well that there is more than one religious tradition that is celebrated this time of year. Would also have no problem seeing other displays of religious faith. It brings up discussion as to what those faiths are all about. Hey, if they wanted to display snowmen and snowflakes for the celebration of the winter solstice, have at it. But, don't try to knock down the Christian tradition. And now that I have been set straight about the shortened version of Christmas, (thanks for explaining it to me Coppy) I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holidays and a Merry Xmas Very Happy

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

Nice response koozie and I must say, most people would just let it go right there.

But this is Coppy you're talkin' to Cool

So, I have to ask, who (or what) is trying to "knock down the Christian tradition?" This country is over 83% Christian. Churches are everywhere. People have religious freedom to put crosses and Nativity scenes on their property. I know there's a lot of shortsighted criticism toward the separation of church and state, but as a level-headed person, don't you think that's only fair to 17% of Americans who don't identify themselves as Christians? I know we're a majority rules sort of society, but we're also a free society where all men are created equal. It may seem like a tragedy to not allow a "Birth of Jesus Christ" play in a public school, but don't they do that at local churches anyway?

I don't know, i think that most people just want to be happy during the holiday season and it's this whole "War on Christmas" group that's making things out to be so much worse than they are. And or every left-wing wacko trying to tear down the community Christmas tree is Northern California, there's a right-wing wacko bombing an abortion clinic or protesting a gay person's funeral.

We would all be better off not getting riled up by isolated incidents and people, or letting certain talk how hosts convince us that it's more of a problem than it is.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 3043 Location: Chambersburg

Koozie,

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you! Thank you for reading the article Coppy recommended. It is such a rare occurence for anyone having a disagreement with Coppy to actually listen to him. I'm sure he appreciates it, as well. Very Happy

_________________
Nevermind.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2569 Location: Chambersburg

koozie · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 124

Well, chel, anytime someone can show me the errors of my ways and I'm not too stubborn to learn from it, I'm up for it. But don't let this make your head too big Coppy, this doesn't mean I'm going to agree with everything you say. Wink

koozie · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 124

I hit the submit button twice so I just had to type something here so I didn't sound redundant Rolling Eyes

I'll also leave a website for you to check out if you would like for those of you who like our redneck mentality around these here parts
http://www.andycouch.com/whitetrashxmas/