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Thoughtfully yours ...

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

(Updated 3:35 am)

Allow me to express some random thoughts:

• Will Rogers certainly described the present when he commented on FDR’s first 100 days. His simple statement was, “Congress doesn’t pass legislation anymore. They just wave at the bills as they go by.”

• Henry David Thoreau described Congress and U.S. citizens when he said, “Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.”

• To all of you who are critical of opposing views, please relax. Views from the left and right are expressed on the editorial pages. No one has all the answers to the multitude of problems within our society. We will all be better off if we welcome other views and lively debate.

• All three levels of government produce idiocy.

• In spite of efforts by academics, we still have freedom of speech and thought. Thanks to those who think, create and produce to make our lives better. All citizens are fortunate that we live in an independent republic that allows us to exercise our rights.

• To my grandchildren: I apologize for the mess that my generation and your parents have created. Good luck.

Richard O’Neal
Greensboro

What do you think?

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catfish

July 1, 2009 - 6:50 am EDT

Mr O, thanks for the Good Thoughts. For all our readers here’re some more gems from Will Rogers... yes, I have too much free time

You can't say that civilization don't advance, however, for in every war they kill you in a new way.

Things ain't what they used to be and never were.

We are always yapping about the 'Good Old Days' and how we look back and enjoy it, but I tell you there is a lot of hooey to it. There is a whole lot of all our past lives that wasn't so hot.

You shake a slogan at an American and it's just like showing a hungry dog a bone.

I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.

I don't care how little your country is, you got a right to run it like you want to. When the big nations quit meddling, then the world will have peace.

We are the first nation to starve to death in a storehouse that's overfilled with everything we want.

Sure must be a great consolation to the poor people who lost their stock in the late crash to know that it has fallen in the hands of Mr. Rockefeller, who will take care of it and see it has a good home and never be allowed to wander around unprotected again. There is one rule that works in every calamity. Be it pestilence, war, or famine, the rich get richer and poor get poorer. The poor even help arrange it.

tledford

July 1, 2009 - 6:13 pm EDT

"In spite of efforts by academics, we still have freedom of speech and thought."

And the cube root of 8 is 2.

catfish

July 2, 2009 - 3:51 am EDT

In spite of the efforts by preachers, we still have freedom of religion.

dianed

July 1, 2009 - 8:10 am EDT

A wise person once said: "Never underestimate the stupidity of the American Voter."

ghost from white oak

July 1, 2009 - 8:52 am EDT

Thanks for a very much needed letter.

zeus80

July 1, 2009 - 9:09 am EDT

Your random thoughts are well-expressed, Mr. O'Neal.

Slaan

July 1, 2009 - 10:22 am EDT

Efforts by academia to stifle free speech? What? Most classes I'm in have large debates and discussions in class, the promotion system requires the freedom to teach how you want, what you want, and study/experiment/research what you want. Academics wouldn't exist without those freedoms, why would they want to take them away?

trabun

July 1, 2009 - 12:56 pm EDT

All I can say, Slaan, is BS. Try stating any opinion that contradicts PC rhetoric and you will find yourself ostracized and flunked out.
If you work in academia and your opinions are not PC, your career is over. Please note that you are not required to act on what you say, but you are required to pay lip service. Attend any university to experience misogyny, discrimination, and hatred.

Slaan

July 1, 2009 - 5:20 pm EDT

Ummm, I do attend university, and I have had my fair share of both Conservative wingnuts and Liberal woo-meisters. Of course, some Universitys lean one way or another, mine happens to be in the middle. Look at what Liberty "university" did to its College Democrats; and your MITs aren't going to let racists wingnuts in... mostly because the lack of intelligence that your general racist has makes them decline bettering themselves through education.

catfish

July 2, 2009 - 3:48 am EDT

All I can say, Slaan, is try stating any opinion, or citing any fact, that contradicts conservative rhetoric and you will find yourself called un-American.