| What in the world was going through Dixie Chicks lead singer, Natalie Maines, mind when she insulted the President during a concert in London? "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas," Maines announced to the audience. Does she have the nerve to say that here in America? Would she have heard "Booooo" of she'd said it here at home? If I'd been in the crowd, I would have booed the comment and then left, pitching my Dixie Chicks CD's out in the nearest trash can (I did do that). I don't think her apology did much good either. "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect." She went on to say, "We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American." Listen Little Missy; you ruffled a heap of feathers by saying that and you know you were raised better than to talk that way. You're done with me and mine. Never mind going to Greenville - ain't nobody coming! (Some of you may have no idea what I just said, but Miss Natalie does!) Honestly Natalie, you knew that there would be anti-American sentiment when you went over there and if you weren't ready to face it gracefully, you should have stayed home. And how in heaven's name can you even begin to imply that diplomacy hasn't been exhausted? And you missed a tremendous opportunity: Why didn't you ask Saddam to disarm??? Furthermore, you should have thought before you opened your mouth. You committed career suicide. At least one-half, or more, of your listeners support President Bush, are soldiers in the field, related to one, or all of these. As I have stated in past articles, our troops are quite insulted by such comments, especially when they are presently waiting to get orders. How many times has a Dixie Chicks CD been played while they are waiting? I'll tell you quite plainly - THEY WON'T BE PLAYED ANYMORE!!!! Elizabeth Smart is home with her family. I believe that the prayers of her family and the nation have a great deal to do with the outcome of this situation. We have no idea what this child has been through and it is really none of our business. I ask the media to stay away from covering this story for a while. Let the family alone to deal with Elizabeth's problems. She has responsible parents who will see to her psychiatric needs and we need to leave them all alone to take care of this. There will be plenty of time during the trial of her captors to rehash the details. The best thing for Elizabeth and the Smart Family is to just leave them alone and let them have some resemblance of a normal life for a time. That would do Elizabeth better than anything. The Azores Summit gave us some profound information today. It sounds like the March 17th deadline stands. "Tomorrow is a moment of truth for the world," President Bush said. Blair, Aznar, and Bush are standing on their earlier statements. Now what will France do? Will there be a vote in the U.N. Security Council tomorrow? Will there be a veto? Will Saddam pack his bags? So many questions. As I said early on, and as the President has said repeatedly, this is Saddam's choice and his choice alone. "You see, the decision is his to make. And it's been his to make all along as to whether or not there's the use of the military. He got to decide whether he was going to disarm, and he didn't. He can decide whether he wants to leave the country. These are his decisions to make. And thus far he has made bad decisions," President Bush reminded us today. Saddam can have it any way he wishes: disarm voluntarily or by force. It is just that simple and all the complications have done nothing but cause division. But the difference is; now we know who our friends really are. French President Jacques Chirac appeared in a special 60 Minutes interview with Christiane Amanpour, after asking to give diplomacy 30 to 60 more days, this morning on French TV. Chirac said multiple times how he views America as his friend and that he is trying to prevent George Bush and America from making a mistake by going to war. He stated that he doesn't agree with President Bush's views or his approach to the issue. He also denied any sort allegiance or dealings with Saddam Hussein and that includes the recent allegations that France was supplying Iraq with parts for their military equipment. Chirac tried to make America believe that he is acting in our best interest. Well, maybe some believe that, but I certainly don't. If Jacques Chirac really wanted to send a clear message to President Bush, he would have said all this too him in private, in a caring and concerned way, and kept it in private, rather than taking it to the world stage at the U.N. Security Council. He has acted in a very threatening way by announcing that he would veto ANYTHING that resembled a military action in Iraq. Someone who was truly concerned about another nation would not be acting in such a dramatic way on a global stage. I really cannot come to any sort of rational answer as to why France is acting this way. Does France want to be a major player in the European Union? Has France found a way to stretch its muscles and have some power? Why act so vengeful? Is he trying to force a military action by acting in this way??? This interview was only an attempt to inflame the war protestors. Chirac said just the right things to push the buttons of all the global protestors and peaceniks and get them going full force. That is what this interview was all about, and to try and demean what the Azores Summit accomplished today. I find Chirac's attitude and demeanor totally reprehensible throughout this entire ordeal and you can say the same thing for de Villepin. Their condescending tone has infuriated me. Chirac ended the interview by saying, " I just want to tell him I don’t share his views, that I don’t approve of his initiative, and of course I hope that things run as smoothly as possible and there is a peaceful disarmament… But if we have to have a war let there be as few dramas and as little destruction as possible." President Chirac, you know full well that President Bush has never wanted this military action and you also know that he has always sought a peaceful solution. Furthermore, you know that Saddam has never done anything without an enormous amount of pressure. President Bush has been the main source of that pressure and you have done nothing to help reinforce that pressure, on the contrary, you have done the opposite. How far could we have gotten with diplomacy if the U.N. Security Council had remained united and sent a strong message to Saddam, rather than dragging this whole thing out, giving Saddam confidence in his noncompliance? Yes, I think French President Jacques Chirac and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin are responsible for diplomacy failing. I know it and so does Saddam. Pope John Paul II made an urgent plea to Saddam to disarm. "Certainly, the leaders of Baghdad have the urgent duty to collaborate fully with the international community, to eliminate any reason for an armed intervention," the Pontiff said. "To them I direct my pressing appeal: the fate of your fellow citizens always has priority!" I wish the Pope had made this public plea sooner. It seems that we have come to the defining moment in this struggle with Saddam. I ask everyone to continue your prayers for everyone involved. And yes, do pray for Saddam. There is really nothing else we can do at this point. Saint Patrick's Day is at hand, and being Irish, as I am, I cannot let this chance go by to share a line or two, with a sigh! If you're lucky enough to be Irish...you're lucky enough. Shortie 03-16-03 |
| What Is It To Be Irish? What is it to be Irish? How can you put the wonder of it into words? If a psychiatrist stretched himself out on his own warm couch after his last customer had gone home, and he dreamed of the man he himself would most like to be - well, he might be perfect, but he'd still only be half an Irishman on Saint Patrick's Day. What is it to be Irish? It is to have an angel in your mouth, turning your prose to poetry. It is to have the gift of tongues, to know the language of all living things. Does an Irishman pause and turn an ear to a tree? It is because on this day he wants to hear what one sleepy bud says to another as it opens its pale green hands to the warm sun of spring. What is it to be Irish? Oh, on this day it is music. Not just the cornet in the parading high school band, but the deep, deep music of living, the low, sad rhythms of eternity. The Irishman hears the high song of the turning spheres, the dim lullaby of the worm in its cocoon. All the world is in a tune, a tune that only he can hear. What is it to be Irish? It is to live the whole history of his race between a dawn and a dawn - the long wrongs, the bird-swift joys, the endless hurt of his ancestors since the morning of time in a forgotten forest, the knocking-at-his-heart that is part of his religion. What is it to be Irish? It's only the realization that he is descended from kings. It is the realization that he is a king himself, an empire on two feet striding in power, a strolling continent of awe. What is it to be Irish? Why on Saint Patrick's Day, to be Irish is to know more glory, adventure, magic, victory, exultation, gratitude and gladness than any other man can experience in a lifetime. What is it to be Irish? It is to walk in complete mystic understanding with God for twenty-four wonderful hours. -Hal Boyle |
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