Be Thankful

Looking Forward Learning from the Past
November 20, 2008

My brother sent me this email this morning. He is on the Republican email list because he owns a business. I was thinking about the future and this past election and wondered what inspired me to vote for Obama. Then I opened my email and found a typical Republican email. This is the email with commentary from me.

My Favorite Girl supplied the picture.

I was thinking this morning about what makes Barack Obama so appealing. He isn't good looking but he is intelligent but neither one is unusual.
Big ears are funny but not appealing enough to inspire confidence.
I finally came to the conclusion that if I was his mother I would be proud of him because of his humor and love of people. He has the ability to let the garbage go and not hold on to defaming or the negativity Americans have embraced over the past eight years.

Barack Obama, unlike the other candidates for President, sees the greatness in people. He inspires goodness the positive view of reality.
Remember when he didn't have a flag pin? I do because it was very important to some people like the person that wrote the email I received from my brother.
This man was making a big deal out of ABC banning flag pins. President elect Obama eventually got a pin to wear because he knew it meant something to some people. He was respecting others.

An American is real when they do something selfless for their country. That doesn't include buying a flag pin and wearing it on TV. That is more a statement of support for the Republican Party than patriotism.

People who go into the service and serve their country, join the peace corp, serve after college as community organizers or a number of service related projects are real patriotic Americans.

They are the positive do something for someone else types that we need in this country.

Maybe ABC is trying to reverse a trend in America. That trend is superficial patriotism like the ribbons on the cars that say I support the troops and the wearing of flag pins that show a persons bad taste in jewelry.

Well if we support the troops then we should make sure they are the first to get the jobs when they come home. Or provide the best medical care available if they need physical or mental healing when they come home.
I personally think going to your local Veterans Hospital and painting a flag on someones cast or prosthetic leg would be more fitting. At least they would have personal contact with the people they went to war for. The people that sent them into a war that changed their lives forever.

George W. Bush and his administration do not support the troops. Anyone one that votes to cut support in any way for the troops is not a patriot even if they have a flag pined to there expensive suit. We owe these kids, we owe a lot of people for our freedoms but they can not be repaid with flag pins, plastic ribbons or flags flying every holiday.
Our troops should get the respect they deserve and to hell with flag pins and all the trappings used to show off support but not get our hearts and minds involved in the suffering of real Americans who served our country unselfishly.

Send this to your friend. I'll watch ABC or any station I want. I don't watch Fox because the programing is negative propaganda. An Australian,who became an American in the 90's owns Fox. I don't like there not to britht, angry talking heads.
Were in a depression people, we need to buy American so we can work and keep our country strong.
The political strife in America needs to be over. We have work to do. I'm not working so I think I'll go to the Veterans Hospital and volunteer to be a friend to some wounded soldier.

WOW

The original message
This should make your blood boil...it DOES mine!
Name withheld:

ABC NEWS BANS FLAG LAPEL PINS! (Oh save us Uncle Bill)

YESTERDAY THE BRASS AT ABC NEWS ISSUED ORDERS FORBIDDING REPORTERS TO WEAR LAPEL PIN AMERICAN FLAGS OR OTHER PATRIOTIC INSIGNIA. THEIR REASONING WAS THAT ABC SHOULD REMAIN NEUTRAL ABOUT 'CAUSES'. (Good Job ABC)

SINCE WHEN IS SUPPORT FOR PREVENTING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION SOME SORT OF A 'CAUSE'? SINCE WHEN IS PATRIOTISM TO BE DISCOURAGED? (Since when does a piece of jewelry prevent death and distruction? Maybe we don't need police we can just were flag pins and that will end crime!)

I URGE YOU TO BOYCOTT ABC AND ITS SPONSORS AND AFFILIATES. WE ARE SLOWLY LOSING EVERYTHING OUR COUNTRY STANDS FOR AND EVERYTHING OUR MEN AND WOMEN FOUGHT AND DIED TO PRESERVE! (Jewelry freeks with bad taste in jewelry, people who support the jewelry industry over and above the men and women who served in the military?)

PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO AS MANY AS YOU CAN. (All your friends will want to know how you feel about ugly jewelry.)
THIS HAS BEEN VERIFIED THROUGH: http://www.snopes.com/rumors/noflags.asp

THIS ONE NEEDS TO GET OUT IF IT HASN'T ALREADY!

Don't bother I'm sure every one that thinks this way has already sent this dead issue around the world at least twice. Instead go volunteer to assist a soldger through rehab or give them a job so they can have a life again.


I don't know this person and I think they have a right to say what they want. My real issue with this kind of nonsense is how it tears this nation apart. I would challenge all of us to heal this country. We are facing hard time because we have allowed negative pundits to rip out our hearts and feed us hate for the past eight years.
You don't have to like President Obama but I'd rather have a leader that looks for opportunity, sees the possibilities for America instead of beating down everyone that thinks differently.
How do you feel?