Yes, I Guess I am A BAD American.

I like big cars, big boats, big houses...

I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some mid-level governmental functionary with a bad comb-over who wants to give it away to crack addicts squirting out babies.

I like Archie Bunker.

I don't care about appearing compassionate.

I think playing with toy guns doesn't make you a killer.

I believe it's called the Boy Scouts for a reason.

I think I'm doing better than the homeless.

I have the right not to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird or piss me off.

I know what SEX is and there are not varying degrees of it.

I believe that if you are selling me a Dairy queen shake, pack of cigarettes, or hotel room you do it in English.

As of matter of fact, if you are an American citizen you should speak English. My father and grandfather shouldn't have to die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come here and disrespect ours.

I think the cops have every right to shoot you if you're running from them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word freeze or stop in English, See the previous line.

I don't use the excuse "it's for the children" as a shield for unpopular opinions or actions.

I know how to count votes and I feel much safer letting a machine with no political affiliation recount when needed.

I know what the definition of lying is.

I know what the definition of "IS" is.

I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you qualify for any special loan programs, gov't sponsored bank loans, etc., so you can open a hotel, convenience store, trinket shop, or any damn thing else.

I didn't take the initiative in inventing the Internet.

I thought the Taco Bell dog was funny.

I want them to bring back safe and sane fireworks.

I believe no one ever died because of something Ozzy Osborne, Ice-T or Marilyn Manson sang, but that doesn't mean I want to listen to that crap from someone else's car when I'm stopped at a red light. But I respect their right to do so.

I think that being a student doesn't give you any more enlightenment than working at Blockbuster or Jack In The Box.

I don't want to eat or drink anything with the words light, lite or fat-free on the package.

I did not go to some foreign country and risk my life in vain and defend our constitution so that decades later you can tell me it's a living document, ever changing and is open to interpretation.

I don't hate the rich.

I don't pity the poor.

I know wrestling is fake.

I believe a self-righteous liberal with a cause is more dangerous than a Hell's Angel with an attitude.

I don't care where Ellen puts her tongue as long as I don't have to hear about it.

I own a gun, you can own a gun, and any red blooded American should be allowed to own a gun, but if you use it in a crime then you will serve the time. A rubber band and a paper clip is a dangerous weapon in the hands of someone with malicious intent.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it pisses you off, invent the next operating system that's better and put your name on the building. Ask your buddy that invented the internet to help you.

I like the convenience of buying oranges from a sidewalk vendor or while I'm waiting at a stop-light, and I'm pretty sure the Latin midget selling them to me is glad she no longer lives in a refrigerator box in East Dallas or is sleeping in the streets of her home country.

We don't need more laws! Let's enforce the ones we already have.

I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes a parent with the balls to stand up to the kid and spank his butt and say "NO".

I think tattoos and piercings are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement or tell me they are cute.

I'll admit that the only movie that ever made me cry was Ole Yeller.

I didn't realize Dr. Seuss was a genius until I had a kid.

I will not be frowned upon or be looked down upon or be made to keep silent because I have these beliefs and opinions. I thought this country allowed me that right; I will not conform or compromise just to keep from hurting somebody's feelings.

I'm neither angry nor disenfranchised, no matter how desperately the mainstream media would like the world to believe otherwise.

Yes, I guess by their definition, I'm a bad American >>

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), March 30, 2001

Answers

Guess I'm a "Bad American" too!

-- Bob Johnson (Backwoods_Bob@excite.com), March 30, 2001.

I guess I'm a bad American too - and I'm a friggin' Scotsman! (But I empathise with every item on your list.)

-- Eric J Methven (e_methven@btinternet.com), March 30, 2001.

Stan are you from Texas? I was raised up with this. My papa talked to me about many of the things you posted. I agree.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), March 30, 2001.

I am a totally bad American..way to go, Stan! God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), March 30, 2001.

I couldn't agree more. Could someone answer this for me; When did things change. Why is it my wife and I worked 40 hours a week, went to college at night, with no scholarship, government funding, or student loans, started our own business, and became what some people call rich. And all of a sudden we're BAD people. At what point in time, did it go from being the American dream, to a bad thing.

-- David in NH (grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com), March 30, 2001.

I guess that makes me a "bad" American too. If only there were more of us and If only We would speak up. I just came home from the grocery store and some "brat" about 5 years old was standing in everyone's way having an absolute temper tantrum. No one could get around him and his mother just stood there pleading with him! I'd have loved to swatted his butt good but probably too late. Should have been done a long time ago. Problem with Americans today as I see it is every one thinks they have "rights". No one wants to work or fight for them, they want everything given to them on a silver platter, win the lottery, etc, etc. Just because they were born, they think they have a right to this a right to that, never mind who worked for it. I guess you can tell I'm a little angry about this.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), March 30, 2001.

Guess we rate as "bad" also. But I think were doing right in raising our son. He even admits at times we do better than his freinds parents. I haven't told him yet that the techniques not new, just memories of my own raising by my father.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 30, 2001.

Stan -

YAY!! I knew I liked you - and everybody on this forum!!!!!!!!!

Run for Prez, will ya???

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 30, 2001.

Darn,you had me until the Taco Bell dog came up! I hate that dog! LOL!

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), March 30, 2001.

Hi Stan

Bad to the bone here!

-- woodsbilly (coleenl@penn.com), March 30, 2001.

Thanks Stan, I'm bad too.

-- Lenore (archambo@winco.net), March 30, 2001.

Count me in.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), March 30, 2001.

Great! Thanks for posting this.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 30, 2001.

Good Post Stan. I agree 95%. (Didn't cry at old yeller) If this is what it means to be "BAD" then count me in.

And yes if Stan chooses to get in politics. I'd vote for him.

Scotish, Irish.....American.

Just a thought Stan You could have added "I'm not a racist because the last time I looked there was only one race on Planet earth...HUMAN"

I enjoyed this post. After a bad day it gave me a little boost.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), March 30, 2001.

My one and only bumpersticker says: speak english or go back. Earlier today I followed a dump truck with no brake lights; I got up beside him and tried to tell him about it, nothing worked until I said nada alto lumes. Don't the parasites realize that they are insulting us with their forien gibberish, consider unmannorly everywhere else in the world ; that is speaking a forign language in front of your host?

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), March 30, 2001.

Stan, as I was reading this I was fully expecting you to get blasted. What a refreshing surprise. I wish someone would run for office with these beliefs.

-- Lena(NC) (breezex4@go.com), March 30, 2001.

Stan: I agree with some of the things you say - some not. I will say that it might not matter to the homeless (of which over 400,000 are Vietnam veterans) that you feel you are doing better than them.

-- Cynthia Speer (farmsteader@gvtel.com), March 30, 2001.

Remember, like most everything else the meaning of "bad" has changed...it now can mean "good". Maybe we are all actually really GOOD! Ya' know, like, "I am one BAAAD American"..(tee-hee)

Thanks Stan, great post!

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), March 31, 2001.

Great post . Thanks this country needs to wake up and take it back to where it belongs . Some change was good but it just has went to far . Indiana Country friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (bunyard@cnc.com), March 31, 2001.

Wonder if it would do any good if ever one who agrees with this post were to copy it and send it to all the Senators in ech state plus to the President? Just a thought. "maybe" they would get the idea? Probably not.

-- michelle (tsjheath@ainop.com), March 31, 2001.

I agree with you 100% and will vote for you if you run for anything. Not all will agree with this as you will see in a later post. But I don`t think it would be good for everyone to agree on everything. DON511

-- DON (dessertmaker2000@hotmail.com), March 31, 2001.

I enjoyed this thread very much. While I can't say I agree with all of it, I found it refreshing. I hope that if I ever come up with a post as entertaining, Stan will enjoy it too. Only one thought. My parents,grandparents,uncles,aunts and cousins spoke a foreigh language as well as English. I still miss hearing it as most of them are gone. God bless!

-- Ardie from WI (a6203@hotmail.com), March 31, 2001.

Stan, I wish I had time to explain your faulty logic, and really crappy, low life attitude in detail, but I'm sure others will do so.

I will say that one statement you made clears everything up for me:

"I think that being a student doesn't give you any more enlightenment than working at Blockbuster or Jack In The Box. "

Where'd you get YOUR education, Stan? Blockbuster or Jack in the Box?

I have nothing against anyone who has the gumption to go out and get a job at those two places, but I don't think having said job qualifies them as well informed, educated, or particularly intelligent.

Oh, here's another comment for you. You said, "I will not be frowned upon or be looked down upon or be made to keep silent because I have these beliefs and opinions." Sorry, Stan; I'm not only frowning upon you, and looking down at you; I'm calling you an asshole. A very narrow minded, stupid asshole. Pardon my French, Stan; I know it offends you to hear a foreign language in this "English Speaking" country.

Quizas que prefieras Espanol? TU eres un gran pendejo.

JOJ

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@ecoweb.net), April 02, 2001.

Instead of an opposing opinion, you get vulgarity. Just another example of America in her downward spiral.

-- Lena(NC) (breezex4@go.com), April 02, 2001.

There was plenty of vugarity in the original speech. Ummm, i think that the writer is narrow minded. Also, the comment about "parasites" in America... did you grandparents, or maybe great grand parents, know english when they came to the US of A? I doubt it.. I hold nothing against immigrants who make an honest go of things. I do hold things against US born citizens who make no effort to change things. Some of the statements held a bit of truth, the rest were white trash loud mouth talk, perhaps gained by watching one too many Archie Bunker shows.

-- kevin (vantravlrs@aol.com), April 03, 2001.

JOJ-you keep telling us about your intelligence. I sure wish you would show it in a more constructive way. Must you show us that you know how to be a different kind of Archie Bunker???? Your post puts me in mind of a little ditty we used to say in elementary school. It takes one to call one!!!! As much as this post offended my sense of compassion, your post seemed equally offensive.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

JOJ, the post was JUST Stan's way of looking at things!! If you disagree or think him narrow-minded, THAT's FINE, but PLEASE KEEP THE VULGARITY AND NAME CALLING OUT OF THE REPLY!! Go rant & rave somewhere else, this is not the place! If you can't get your point across without using things like that, then GET OFF THE FORUM. Use people like Ardie from Wisc. as an example of a positive way to get your point across.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

I don't like the name calling thing, seems a bit juvenile. Stan, I do feel sorry for you. Seems like a mighty small world you live in. Sometimes parents do not have the skills to pass along traits such as empathy and tolerance and we end up with selfishness and bigotry. It's a shame so many of your like minded have passed on, Hitler and Pol Pot come to mind, but I'm sure there are plenty to take their place. Peace

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

jz,

Hitler and Pol Pot were socialists, just like you are.

...

"The civility cherished by the civilized men had finally been defeated by their ideas, although they did not know that this was the cause. After years of preaching contradictions and of evading principles with an anti-ideological shrug, these men were astonished to see the nation conclude that man cannot live by principles, that reason is no guide to action, and that anything goes.

After years of institutionalizing interest-group warfare, which they had justified as sacrifice or collective service, these men were astonished to see hostile gangs take to the streets and demand one another’s sacrifice. After years of undercutting the mind by preaching the primacy of gentle feeling (whether ‘progressive’, religious, or skeptical), these men were astonished to find that they had nothing more to say, and that there was no one left to listen. The moderates were helpless. The authorities were helpless. The killers were taking over.

On January 30, 1933, after due attention to every requirement of German law and of the Weimar Constitution, Nazi rule was made official. It took six months for the Chancellor to transform the country into a totalitarian state.”

Leonard Peikoff, The Ominous Parallels

-- William in Wi (gnarledmaw@lycos.com), April 03, 2001.

Your post saddens me, Stan, and the fact that so many other people think it's so profound makes me even sadder.

-- Betsy in NY (sassyweitzel@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

Stan,

While I don't agree with ALL of your opinions I do especially agree with one. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEM!!!!!!!

To the rest of you who are bashing Stan because of his opinions...Who the heck made you God? And where in the world do you come up with the idea that your way is the only way? I grew up with the "Melting pot" idea. All people who came to the US became AMERICANS.....and learned to speak English. I think our society really lost its way and fragmented when that changed. It's always been a good thing to honor your heritage...but not to bring the same problems with you and foist them on the rest of us. I'd throw in some compassion for those who can't make it in this world and really need help.....but none for the ones who are scamming the "system" and the rest of us. I also believe in true religious freedom....you have the right to worship as you please..just don't ram it down my throat. i also believe that posting your opinions, as long as there is no vulgarity, is your right. Diversity is a blessing. I don't want everyone to be just like me..... Just to have the sense to live their lives and let me live mine. Thanks for the post Stan.

-- Deborah (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

Everyone has a right to there own option .I think Stan hit on allot of things many people could not speak out loud.I have a problem with people not speaking english {they only know money} If you want to live here you should know the language .I also have a problem with people getting things because of the color of there skin , its no longer who deserves it .The best person for the job , scholarship , ect should get it .The are the black american fund, indian american fund and the list goes on .If we made a fund for the poor mixed breed white american fund we would be called racist ! Why is it ok for one group and not another ? EVERYTHING should be fair .I want the same oppratunity as others .I want everyone to have things they deserve.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), April 03, 2001.

Shame on me for being unable to resist posting here, but I'm doing it anyway.

For those of you who enthusiastically embraced all of the original post, did it escape your notice that "I like Archie Bunker" was one of the earliest statements? Did you ever watch "All in the Family"? I did, all the time. I enjoyed many things about that show, particularly when Archie would get a comeuppance. After all, one of his most prominently displayed beliefs was that other races/cultures were inherantly flawed -- ranting on and on about "Kikes, Spics, Wops, and Niggers". Anyone here with Jewish, Hispanic, Italian, or African blood or from those cultures? How about the women folk who were, in Archie's view, put here to serve men and then "Stifle, Edith!" Any of you women think that's an attitude you'd like to predominate? Plenty of strong-minded women on this forum; somehow, I don't think that would go over too well . . . .

Archie, as the show progressed, evolved into a somewhat more forgiving, generous, less judgemental person. Was THAT what you meant when you said that you like Archie Bunker, his ability to grow and change and lose a lot of his bigotry? I'm guessing NO, but I can hope that I'm wrong. It's really sad that there aren't more people capable of that.

Some lines of my family go so far back, they must have come before the Revolutionary War. Others, better known to me, were more recently come. Germans and Bavarians in the second half of the 1800's -- Great-grandparents from whom I get my surname. I didn't know them myself, but my dad and his sister did. They tell me the old folks never did learn to speak English (though all their children did). They managed to make a living anyway. Don't think anyone held it against them, but then, in the upper Midwest, there were lots of other German immigrants with whom they could communicate.

Then there were my Swedish grandparents, both born in Sweden. Grandma came with her family when she was only 5. Her first school was taught in Swedish. The children were eventually integrated into English-speaking schools. Her parents never learned to speak English. Her children (including my mother) were never taught to speak Swedish, because of the bias against speaking a foreign language. My mother and siblings NEVER were able to hold any conversation with their grandparents that wasn't translated by their mother, father, or uncle. I think that's sad. My mother wishes she had been taught Swedish. She did take lessons when she was older, but never developed the ease or fluency she would have had learning it as a child.

Have you ever thought about the trauma and upheaval of leaving the country, language, and culture of your birth, as an adult, imagined doing it yourself? Many times leaving because you simply cannot make a living where you were born and not because you WANT to live somewhere else. Is it so hard to understand clinging to some vestige of your old life and culture, to want to speak "your" language, to want to be with people like you?

My point, if you couldn't get it from all that, is that people have been coming to this country and not learning "the language" for centuries. Eventually, they die. Their children, if they had any, learn to speak "the language". All those children change the mix in this "melting pot", they change the way things are. Don't like it? Can't think of anywhere that you can go that it's different. Visiting in Sweden, I encountered some Pakistani's who had learned to speak Swedish, and understood just enough English to answer my query if they spoke English to shake their heads "no".

As for English being "the language" here, Wisconsin is an English corruption of a French corruption of a Native American (Ojibwe or Menomenee, can't remember) phrase. Illinois and the Dakotas are from Native American tongues. California and Florida and Montana are from Spanish. Many other examples, not to mention the names of towns and such (some in Wisconsin, Minocqua, Oconomowoc, Lac du Flambeau, Presque Isle) Not so pure . . . .

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), April 03, 2001.

As I was reading Stan's post I nodded in agreement with some of his statements and shook my head at others. In most lengthy statments people make I pick out the stuff I go along with and reject what I don't like.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, we're lucky like that, we live in a relatively free country.

I do think the taco bell dog is funny though!

Blessings, Judy

-- Judy Murray (nomifyle@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

At least Stan and Archie spoke what is on there mind .You couldn't help but laugh at Archie because he mad such an ass out of himself.I neither agree fully or disagree fully with any of the statements here .But thats one of the great things in this country , we don't have to !

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), April 03, 2001.

Gee wilem in wisc, I've never been called a socialist before, but then again your response confuses me. My mentioning Hitler and Pol Pot had nothing to do with their politics, it relates to their view of morality concerning their fellow man. I'm going to get crazy here and call them sociopaths which to me is sort of like carrying that lack of empathy and bigotry thing to the extreme. Stan, I agree with many points you made but my Dad taught me to appreciate my good fortunes and not rub it in the face of those with less.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

jz, maybe we should form our own little socialist's club. It had never happened to me before until recently either. Are we having fun yet???

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

Oh Diane, we're still friends! We just see some things differently.

As for my take on this, just put a ditto down on Deborah's (bearwoman) and apply my name to it. Stan, although there is a lot I don't really agree with here, I completely respect your right to beieve it and express it. God bless!...all of ya.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), April 03, 2001.

jz,

I may have misidentified you as someone else and if your follow up response was honest then it would appear that I had. Profuse appologies...

-- William in Wi (gnarledmaw@lycos.com), April 04, 2001.

Rose Marie, is your objection to my language related to the English or the Spanish? Did certain words offend you? Would you prefer that, instead of calling the jerk "asshole" that I call him "anus"? Or how about "cloaca"? They're all only word,s Rose Marie....

JOJ

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@ecoweb.net), April 04, 2001.

Very nice post, Joy F!

I'd like to add to your views, please, that it is very hard to learn a foreign language as an adult (I know, as I've done so). It's also particularly hard to learn the language if you are being snubbed, dissed, or shunned by the native speakers, as is apparently the case with the hispanics where I live.

I used to tutor English as a Second Language. In that role, I met a lot of hispanics, and was invited to some fiestas. At these fiestas, I was amazed to witness a couple of hundred hispanics, all of whom lived in my community. I asked one of them why I had had the impression that there were only a dozen or two hispanics in the whole county, since I virtually never saw any, other than in the ESL classes. He told me that it was because they pretty much stuck together, experiencing hostility and rejection from so many of my fellow "natives".

JOJ

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@ecoweb.net), April 04, 2001.