 |
| 2003 |
| Section E, Page 1 |
 |
| Misc. 1E |
 |
| Questions? Answers? Wanna write an article? Keep in mind - It's my site, and I pick and choose the opinions that make it here. E-mail me at: novellaidea@yahoo.com |
| Freedom Toast? |
| Novella Idea, 03-28-03 |
| It seems as though maturity has gone to les oiseaux (the birds). What began as a tiny lump in the brain of many Americans has grown to a malignant, neglected tumor that has spread throughout the body of our entire country. French bashing, the new American pasttime (since baseball has become "irrelevant"), began first with a few muttered comments, spread to American restaurants, and slid its way into our government. Freedom Fries served in the House cafeteria. Freedom Toast served on Air Force One. Will we next be selling Freedom doors, putting our hair up in Freedom twists, and exchanging Freedom kisses? On an AOL message board, one woman claimed that she had thrown away her "traitorous french cut green beans and fries" (they were probably freezer burned and she wanted to appear "patriotic"). Tator tot sales must be through the roof. The idiocy doesn't end there. As cnn.com states, "a Florida congresswoman has proposed that the government pay for families who might want to bring home from France the remains of Americans who fought and died in the world wars" (read it here). *Note* - the original second half of this article was lost Somehow, I doubt the French really care if we no longer call something French that wasn't French in the first place. U.S. Government: "HAHA, we're not gonna call these fried potatoes that have made us really fat 'French' anymore. So there! Neenerneenerneener!" The French Government: ".........." Whether or not fries should be served under one name or another should not be an issue. It alarms me that so much time has been spent on thumbing our noses at another country. What will we do when this is over? Will people even want to try to repair the damage? It is unfortunate that this childish argument has so much power. But symbols are powerful ways of communicating, and by "destroying" symbols of French and U.S. brother and sisterhood, we're slowly destroying the actual relationship. Do the French have to agree with us? Are you kidding? The idea that everybody on earth has to agree with us is both ridiculous and self-defeating. Total agreement is impossible. I find it alarming that while I, a twenty-year-old, understand this, our government does not. ~ |
| Support and Disagreement |
| Novella Idea, 04-03-03 |
| Shame on you, America. Shame on the pro-war "activists" who claim that all war protestors want U.S. soldiers to die in combat. Shame on the anti-war activists who claim it is impossible to support troops and still not support a war. Protestors: If you spit on a soldier, I hope something relatively painful happens to you. Supporting soldiers has nothing to do with politics. Whatever their reasons are for joining the military, these people are defending you and dying for you. They are having to kill for you. No matter what you think, soldiers do not enjoy killing. Admittedly, if someone shoots at them, most soldiers are, understandably, going to fire back. As if you wouldn't do the same. Who cares if you didn't want this war? The soldiers in Iraq and on their way to Iraq didn't want to leave their jobs, their newborn babies, their education. But they have to, because whatever their politics, their commander-in-chief has ordered them into danger. I don't care if you don't want people dying for you. I don't want people dying for me, either. But that doesn't mean I will insult soldiers that are carrying wounded Iraqi children, or mock rescued POWs. I tire of hearing that all soldiers should become "conscientious objectors." If they did that, who would defend us if violence came to our shores? Who would rescue invaded countries (Like Kuwait in the first Gulf War)? I am fully against this war. But the military as an entity is a necessary evil, and soldiers are real people, not atrocious, soulless murderers. Please forgive my lack of eloquence. I just had to say something. |