Guest jpurdy2003 Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 From Scene Magazine in Cleveland. This is one of the best editorials I've read in years. Try to approach it with an open mind. Country Club Swagger It doesn't matter if you're left or right. Bush is an embarrassment to real men. BY PETE KOTZ pete.kotz@clevescene.com The man on TV swaggers like he's undefeated in 57 Collinwood bar fights. He threatens, he talks big, he's fearless. His are the pronouncements of a badass. Meet George Bush, consummate man. It's a noble thing he seeks. While the Manly Man has fallen from fashion, replaced by The Sensitive Guy who can cook a five-course meal while discussing his feelings of inadequacy, the rules for real men have been around for thousands of years, and they've always been simple and good: You work hard. You provide. You look out for the weak and speak when everyone else is afraid. You make your shoulders available to those who need carrying. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do. This is the one-size-fits-all path to honor. Unfortunately, Bush, like so many others, confuses attitude with masculinity. Jesus understood the rules. Now here was one tough sonuvabitch. He knew that to be a real man is to sacrifice, to walk it like you talk it, not wear it on your sleeve. But Bush grew up with the trust-fund set, where no one knew the traditional ways. So he adopted the fraudulent version, like the gangbanger who waves a gun and thinks he's big, yet carries no one, provides for no one. This, unfortunately, is the definition of a punk. If Bush understood the rules, there would be no swagger. The toughest fight of his life probably came in the third grade, when a tall girl kicked his ass and the Secret Service came to the rescue. The guy never earned his bones. If Bush was a real man, he'd keep his sights on the real enemy, Osama, not pick an easier, more convenient fight with Saddam. It's like the guy who's called out by a big man in a bar, but decides to beat up a midget in the parking lot instead. It was no sin to seek revenge on Saddam, who tried to kill his father. Real men understand the beauty, the necessity, of vengeance. But Bush had his chance before the war, when Saddam challenged him to a duel. A real man would have relished the opportunity, demanding to fight with knives, so he could kill Saddam up close, with his own hand. Yet Bush was a coward, choosing instead to burn 1,000 American lives and billions of American dollars, then play the cheerleader from thousands of miles away, lauding the heroics of men and women who were brave enough to do what he would not. A real man would never say "bring 'em on" from the safety of the sidelines. If Bush was a real man, he would kick his swift-boat lapdogs in the head. It was no sin to stay clear of Vietnam; it wasn't our fight. But a real man never calls out the courage of those who went, and he sure as hell doesn't let his lapdogs do it. He does it himself, face to face. If Bush was a real man, he wouldn't side with pharmaceutical companies against grandmas who can't afford medicine. There's only one choice in this fight: You go with Grandma. A real man would rather stick his face in an arc welder than abet the suffering of old people. If Bush was a real man, he wouldn't run up deficits like a trophy wife. He'd respect and fear debt for the curse it is. He'd understand that he must pay his own way, leave a little extra for his children. Only a trust-fund kid believes he can spend without borders, knowing that someone else will pay. If Bush was a real man, he wouldn't talk about the economy rising. He'd understand that a man's highest calling is a real job, with real pay, so he can put food on the table of his children, a roof over the head of his wife. He'd know that everything else is bullshit. If Bush was a real man, he'd never pick a fight with gays. He'd understand the embarrassment in beating down those without power. It's like punching out a guy in a wheelchair, then pretending you're Shaka Zulu. If Bush was a real man, he'd know there's no honor in being a country club tough guy, one who believes the work of men is to rattle their lips, then play another round of golf. He'd also know there's no righteousness in following the badass CEO model, guys who lays off hundreds to Wall Street cheers for making the tough call, but never do any of this face-to-face, and never put themselves on the line. Because if Bush was a real man, he'd know this code transcends left and right, rich and poor. It's been around forever, and has nothing to do with the squawking parrots in the Capitol or on cable. It's about standing up. Doing what's right. Honor. And if Bush was a real man, he'd know that even an Ivy League cheerleader can achieve it. All you gotta do is try. But if Bush was a real man, he'd man up right quick. Because he'd know he's embarrassing us right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 its hard for me to believe that someone writing editorials knows what a real man is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suffocateXfaster1647545505 Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Originally posted by Waiting for Car Enthusiast: its hard for me to believe that someone writing editorials knows what a real man is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OGRE Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Is it ironic that the least manly liberal on the board posted this? eli, eric > jack BTW this belongs in the flame room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowZ06 Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 No open mind needed. Regardless of whether or not you support Bush, (Which I don't) you have to agree that there is a degree of validity in that article. [ 11. October 2004, 03:05 AM: Message edited by: SlowZ06 ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 I know Collinwood, and I don't think ANY man, white or black, could survive 57 fights in that area. I think the guy has good points, but who cares? Many of us work hard to get where we are. This is a capitalist democracy, NOT SOCIALISM. Fuck you if you can't keep up. And it ain't my fault if you can't provide for you and yours. I look at Bush as a flawed man. But he was picked to represent one side of the U.S and the Democrats picked Kerry, an even weaker man than George Bush. I would rather have someone at the White House who will stand up for his beliefs than to have some boneless flake leading this country that panders to whichever way the wind is blowing at any given time. Enjoy whining with the liberals down there, Mr. P! smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevil Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 If Kerry was a real man, he wouldn't vote for war, then turn around and vote against ammunition, body armor, and other things our soldiers need. Real men quit protesting the war after it begins, and support our troops. If Kerry was a real man, he would have accepted Bush's idea to ban the political ads not sponsored by themselves. Bush didn't like the swiftboat crap, but Kerry wants to have his cake and eat it too. If Kerry was a real man, he wouldn't keep trying to get more Americans dependant on the government. He would set up programs like Bush where grandma gets a discount on prescription drugs, and American drug companies and their employees prosper as well. Kerry wants to outsource this, and get cheap prescription drugs from Canada, and make taxpayers pay for it all. If Kerry was a real man, he wouldn't make campaign promises that add up to almost 2 trillion. Bush never planned on spending so much, but an increase in homeland security was a must, aide to those rebuilding after 9/11, and of course 2 wars. Oh, and we've had a deficit for a very long time, it's not is his fault. If Kerry was a real man, he'd tax everybody fairly. Currently, the more you earn, the more you are taxed. With Bush, everybody got a tax cut. Kerry wants to further that gap, and place the tax burden even more on the rich. Kerry wants to play Robin Hood, real man don't wear tights. If Kerry was a real man, he wouldn't get manicures and fake tans before a debate. He would be in Florida instead like Bush was, meeting with hurricane victims. If Kerry was a real man, he would have supported the bill that charges someone for murder twice when they kill a pregnant mother. Instead, he's a liberal lawyer, just like his VP choice. If Kerry was a real man, he would make decisons for America, and not the world. He wouldn't worry about global tests and what is popular in France. If Kerry was a real man, he wouldn't flip flop all over the place. He would have firm stances on issues like Bush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryBMW Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Steve, you rock. -Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils Advocate Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Before that gets bullshit-raped by eric and his horribly left-wing "facts", I just want to say that that is the most intelligent thing that has been posted in a very long while. Good job, steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraGlue Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Steve's is written far better, and is true. graemlins/thumb.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowZ06 Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 As much as I don't like George Bush, we can't blame the deficit on him alone. Just some numbers for consideration: 09/30/2004 $7,379,052,696,330.32 09/30/2003 $6,783,231,062,743.62 09/30/2002 $6,228,235,965,597.16 09/28/2001 $5,807,463,412,200.06 09/29/2000 $5,674,178,209,886.86 09/30/1999 $5,656,270,901,615.43 09/30/1998 $5,526,193,008,897.62 09/30/1997 $5,413,146,011,397.34 09/30/1996 $5,224,810,939,135.73 09/29/1995 $4,973,982,900,709.39 09/30/1994 $4,692,749,910,013.32 09/30/1993 $4,411,488,883,139.38 09/30/1992 $4,064,620,655,521.66 09/30/1991 $3,665,303,351,697.03 09/28/1990 $3,233,313,451,777.25 09/29/1989 $2,857,430,960,187.32 This is our "National debt" year by year. While looking at recent history, we can see that our current President's administration has increased our debt by a larger margin than the previous three did. Does this surprise anyone? No, of course not... inflation, Homeland security, and the cost of war all contributed to this. Oh, and not to start a war, but on the topic of Canadian prescription drugs being allowed into the States, here's my two cents. How long do you think it will take for US pharmaceutical players to become price competitive once the floodgates are open? They're not going to just roll over and die; but if they refuse to compete, they're going to be in deep doo-doo. Competition is the heart of free enterprise, and either they will learn to play the game, or they'll cease to exist... just like any other business in the good old USA. Look at the story of Wal-Mart, and the businesses it's killed off in their quest to be the retail success they are. How many jobs did they outsource? I'll bet it's far more than we'd lose by allowing Canada to sell drugs here. I'd also bet that we all know why they did/are doing it, too. To make or save a buck. Yet no one cries when they get the George Foreman grill that costs $80 at a locally owned store, for $15.99 at Wally World, despite the effect that price difference has on everyone from the supplier on down. Unfortunately, as much as we'd like to believe otherwise, a good percentage of "Patriotic Americans" are willing to turn the other cheek when it affects *their* wallets. Where was everyone when our beloved Big Three were going down the tubes in the 80s? Buying less expensive, equal or higher quality products imported from Japan or Korea, that's where. That, my friends, is flip-flopping in my book. *Flame suit on* smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Moving to Senior Members Section.. *POLITICAL* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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