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I’m 63, and I’m Tired (Heads Up!)
Family Security Matters ^ | March 20, 2010 | Robert A. Hall

Posted on 06/02/2011 8:35:53 AM PDT by yoe

I'm 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes." Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I'm willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I'm tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In 30 years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Christian people of Iran and the freedom of speech of Venezuela .

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor;" of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers;" of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery;" of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Koran and Shari'a law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that "race doesn't matter" in the post-racial world of Obama, when it's all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it's very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I'm tired of a news media that thinks Bush's fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama's, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush's military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn't vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5 percent of Al Gore's, and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don't think gay people choose to be gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I'm tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren't working, but are living on welfare or crime. What's next? Calling drug dealers "Undocumented Pharmacists"? And, no, I'm not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it's been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion. I'm willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn't have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military.... Those are the citizens we need.

I'm tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war? You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave? Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last 50 years and still are? Not even close. So here's the deal. I'll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia because the girls were Christian. Then we'll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.

I'm tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I'm tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois, where the "Illinois Combine" of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama's cabinet.

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

Speaking of poor, I'm tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn't have that in 1970, but we didn't know we were "poor." The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.

I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter.

Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate and blogs at The Old Jarhead.

Reader Comments: Submit Your Comment (24)


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: condirice; donttreadonme; hestired; taxes; tired; tiredofbs
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The picture of a Real American....he is my Hero!
1 posted on 06/02/2011 8:35:55 AM PDT by yoe
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To: yoe

Like my daddy always told me: “If you don’t like things the way they are, change yourself.”

He went from a jailbird to a successful 35-year career in the Marine Corps. I listen to him.

Stop whining and change yourself, and so influence the world a little at a time. My daddy’s lesson.


2 posted on 06/02/2011 8:37:59 AM PDT by warchild9
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To: yoe
Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran
Semper Fi bttt ...
3 posted on 06/02/2011 8:39:42 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: yoe

Posted here already ad nauseum


4 posted on 06/02/2011 8:39:50 AM PDT by databoss
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To: yoe
I've worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years.

Obviously, a winner of life's lottery. Obama has no interest in such people. His voters are already sitting on the front stoop, swigging a beer and waiting for his weekly donation from Welfare.

5 posted on 06/02/2011 8:40:02 AM PDT by theDentist (fybo; qwerty ergo typo : i type, therefore i misspelll)
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To: warchild9

Sorry but it’s not “us” that’s wrong. Socialism is.


6 posted on 06/02/2011 8:40:54 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (America! The wolves are at your door! How will you answer the knock?)
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To: yoe

He said it all very well.

The liberal world view is very different than the world view of most of us. And he points out the sharp differences very well.


7 posted on 06/02/2011 8:41:13 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: yoe

We need more people like him in gov’t !


8 posted on 06/02/2011 8:42:25 AM PDT by CORedneck
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To: yoe
Great summary. Now, what's he going to do about it?

I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making.

Nothing at all.

9 posted on 06/02/2011 8:42:25 AM PDT by ctdonath2
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To: yoe

It’ll be interesting when our military members come to the full realization that they are far, far better than any of our ruling class in any measure of morality or ability.

It’ll be even more interesting when they decide to do something about it.


10 posted on 06/02/2011 8:43:19 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: warchild9
He went from a jailbird to a successful 35-year career in the Marine Corps. I listen to him.

And, why wouldn't you? I would, too.

12 posted on 06/02/2011 8:45:33 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: DJ MacWoW

Change trends by influencing the people around you with positive action.

My daddy, for instance, works with people with substance abuse problems through his church back home. He, himself, had quite a struggle with alcohol in his younger days, and now gives to others by fighting the idea they hold that they are “alcoholics,” or whatever.

“Socialism” is a concept, not a being. It exists in people’s minds, and so can be fought through friendly persuasion. It’s not as easy or immediately satisfying as screaming, insulting, or belittling people like an adolescent, but working one-on-one does wonders.

Rationality is adults conversing...and voting...etc.


13 posted on 06/02/2011 8:47:16 AM PDT by warchild9
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To: Puppage
he blogs at http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/

article written in 2009...he must be really tired now..

14 posted on 06/02/2011 8:48:08 AM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: yoe

I know how he feels.


15 posted on 06/02/2011 8:48:49 AM PDT by GVnana
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To: Puppage

My daddy’s awesome. He taught me how to be a man.

He’s also frightening. He spent his whole career in Marine Recon. Because of him, I’m afraid of nothing and no one.


16 posted on 06/02/2011 8:48:59 AM PDT by warchild9
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To: yoe
I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers,"

I'm tired of hearing the false phrase "Illegals do the work Americans don't want to".

Now Americans will take any job to keep the wolf from the door. I should know after a second layoff.

17 posted on 06/02/2011 8:49:16 AM PDT by sr4402
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To: yoe
Bookmarking a great read. This, honestly, is the platform that any Conservative should base their campaign from. And 95% of it, we'll never hear from a Conservative’s lips, lest they ‘offend’ someone who will never ever vote for them.
18 posted on 06/02/2011 8:49:22 AM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: databoss
Posted here already ad nauseum

Speaking of ad nauseum, is he a natural born citizen?

19 posted on 06/02/2011 8:51:41 AM PDT by don-o (Tagline was zotted)
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To: ctdonath2
I was hoping for a big payoff in the final paragraph, like he was gonna go on a killing spree or blow up a government building.

I always figured that if I was old an infirm and saw my once-great Nation going down the toilet, I'd go out in a blaze of glory similar to that. But then again, I formulated that plan as an adolescent, and before I got married and was civilized.

20 posted on 06/02/2011 8:53:29 AM PDT by I Buried My Guns (Novare Res!)
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