This is a letter forwarded to me by a friend. It is supposed to be written by David Letterman, although I have a very, very hard time buying that. Whoever wrote it though, is dead on. 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 o r a nother 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 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
http://forums.thephins.com/political-forum-pofo/15227-david-letterman.html This was discussed in the POFO. I think it's BS on all fronts. I highly doubt Letterman wrote and released it this way and I think the premise of it is to try and guilt people out of having serious discussions about things that truly are threatening the health of this country and the existence of it's middle class.
yra we have jobs yea we have heat water and ac during the summer...... but the job pay doesn't match the price to keep that ac going....and water running...or the gas prices flying upwards.....sure we got good things....but when people in washington are living like kings with our tax money....and we are "struggling" that's the problem I have....
Gotta love the blind eyed "It could always be worse" approach. Id like to kick whoever wrote this square in the balls.
It is funny how unhappy we are as Americans. Of course that doesn't mean we have to think Bush did a good job. We are just a nation of people who look more at what we do not have instead of looking at all of the amazing things we do have
I can tell you why most people are unhappy. Gas Prices, Inflation of food products, prescription drugs, taxes,work related stress.
Exactly, looking at what they do not have instead of looking at what they do have. There are people who laugh at those problems who live happier lives. Maybe because they can laugh about those problems. People in Zimbabwe who could be killed tomorrow because some drug lord just feels like live happier lives than Americans.
Theres nothing wrong with being unhappy about regression. Some people are upset because all those great things that we have to be grateful for, may not be here for their children to enjoy. Everything is so damn expensive now, and pay rates remain the same. How is that fair?
I guess there is nothing wrong with it, however why would you want to put yourself through such strain for something that you don't even know that it is true? It is nto a given that their children won't be able to enjoy the great things that we are now. Hell the things I enjoyed as a child is dwarfed by the amount of things that children today get to enjoy. Hell I am still in awe with the amount of porn kids today can get their hands on. The amount of work I had to go through just to see some blurred out boobies on USA UP ALL Night, was ridiculous.
In the numerical sense I make more money than I did last year but in the sense of what that money buys me I make a lot less.
oh, ok, in that case there's no reason to question anything, no reason as a Democratic people to speak out about our system being whored out and used to benefit specific groups while ignoring the needs of others, no need to worry about trends that might show a weakening of the U.S.'s future as a healthy Democracy in the future, etc., etc. If were going to actively work to get citizens to lower their expectations of this countries govt. to the results of what those in 3rd world countries expect then this mind set is right on the money! Bouns is that eventually we may get the exact situation were supposed to thank ourselves for not being in if we just simply sit back and "thank our lucky stars" were not them and ignore problems within our country.
I also have to laugh at the fact that there are groups within this country that have made a profession out of beeyatching and moaning about "what they don't have" even when the economy is going well. I don't see this type of mentality being levied against those constant negative nancy's yet when the economy really is in a bind and working class citizens that have always worked hard for a living get upset about the collapse, all of a sudden THEY are spoiled brats. The hypocrisy is numbing.
No, in that case you do not let things you do not have control over make you "unhappy", cause "depression" or stress. You can be happy where you are and still hope and want things to improve. Happiness isn't sitting in one spot being content and never growing or trying to improve a situation or caring. It is funny to me how people equate being happy with being complacent.