WOT: RANT RANT RANT

[scirocco16vr32 at gmail.com (Chris Bennett)]

Well I haven't bitched about anything lately (oh yea BK and Airport
Security doing an impression of giving me a warm fuzzy)

Scirocco content... I intend to put about 800 miles on the 87 in the
next 36 hours.  Nothing like quality time at 80mph... I may actually
stop in George, Washington (really that's the name) where the THE
GORGE is (they have alot of bands play there) and take a few pics.

So back to my rant.  Let me give you a little background... I am in
Spokane pulling 18+ hour days, with a fairly nasty head cold, so I am
really not in a warm fuzzy kinda mood to start with.  Sleep was like
like being with someone warm and familiar and waking up yanked that
away.  I guess I am saying I didn't wake up happy.

That being said I turn on the computer to check email, and I see a
poll on MSN's page about the Dixie Chicks.

How do you feel about the Chicks' CMA Awards nomination for vocal
group of the year (their first nomination since Natalie Maines
criticized President Bush in 2003, angering many fans)?

Before I show the answers let me first state that I never really cared
about the Dixie Chicks before (or After) what's her name stuck her
foot in her mouth.  I don't really care.  Ultimately she stated she
was ashamed that Bush was from Texas, and she entitled to an opinion.
What's the drama about?

What pisses me off is the answers... It's one of those skewed group of
answers that implies that you are to pick the MOST correct one like
some sort of goddamn psych test.  It's fairly obvious the poll was
geared to get a specific response.  Much like most of the public
opinion polls about the government.  Again I am not bitching about the
war and the issues, but rather how the media is manipulating us.
Small scale here, but I think on a grand scale as well.

The answers were:

1.  The Chicks are great,  and the nomination is overdue and well deserved.

Well with that one I am stating that I like them.  I do not.  While it
may very well be true that their nomination is overdue and well
deserved--I do not like them Sam I am.

2.  They should be nominated based on their talents.  (I will come
back to this one)

3.  The Chicks shouldn't have been nominated because there are more
talented vocal groups out there.

That one isn't horrible but I don't know if there are actually better groups.

4.  I don't like the Chicks or what they stand for.  They shouldn't be
nominated for anything good.

Damn these people.  The only relatively negative one subtlety applies
that you are some sort of redneck.  While 1/3 of it is true, I do not
particularly care for them, it doesn't make them a bad group and
certainly has nothing to do with what they stand for.  And the last
statement, sounds like it should have been a line in Deliverance or
fucking Slingblade.  I don't recken they orten ta be nominated for
anything good uh huh.  While I kinda agree with part of it (the first
half of the statement) I shy away because it goes 180 degrees really
quick.  Labeling them as traitors for voicing an opinion, that's not
me and it's against what we stand for but this one is SO far removed
it just pisses me off.  I see racists, bigots, and generally ignorant
and uninformed people knocking themselves out to press that hypertext
button.

So lets talk about #2.  If it stated that they should be nominated OR
NOT, based on talents ALONE.  I would have picked that one.  But it
was still worded skewed towards liking them.  CMA's and even
Presidential Elections in general should be towards talent and in the
case of the president on the ability to do the job, not a popularity
contest.  This is why Eddie Murphy and Don Johnson didn't release
follow up albums.  They couldn't sing... Popular as hell but they
couldn't sing worth a damn.

I think at the time, the American people were painfully aware of what
happened to the the troops in Vietnam.  It was unpopular war, the
soldiers faced unspeakable horrors, and came home to an America that
blamed them for being there when in reality most of them were drafted
against their will.

So when this war started popular or not the American people, still
mostly riding the surge of patriotism after 9/11, made their mind up
to support the troops or else.  There are huge problems with that.
HUGE.  You should be patriotic whether or not a madman slams a 747
into a building or not.  If you didn't like the country before or care
enough for it to show some patriotism don't put up a flag now.  That's
hipocritical.  Well meaning hipocracy but bullshit nonetheless.

Yes without a doubt we should support the troops... don't put ribbon
on your car and feel good, that's another hollow gesture.  If you want
to support the troops.  Go up to one in the airport and thank them.
Send a card, or a newspaper, a fucking box of cookies to the USO, it
will get there.  Little magnetic ribbons don't mean shit to the
troops. Besides don't believe the hype someone made a lot of money off
of the ribbon thing.  Not a dime went to the families.  I see a ribbon
and I think sheep.  The only ribbon I ever had on my car was "support
your local strippers" because that my friend IS a good cause.  If
boobies are involved it has my vote.

And finally more or less throwing stones at someone for critizing the
president--not the troops mind ya... when we wave our flags and talk
about we are the bastion of freedom-- free speech isn't allowed to
have opposing opinions.  How dare you?!?  Yes let's boycott the Dixie
Chicks for free speech while we have boots on the ground under the
premise of giving another people that right.  OMFG Get a grip people.

Blood pressure...

So because curiosity killed the cat, I selected # 5 None of these to
see the results.

46% said #1
6%   said #2
24% said #3
24% said #4 (Jesus Christ there's alot of "Karl's" in the world)
0%   said #5

So I am a 0 Percentile type.  Personally I hear country music and I
want to bash my head into the wall until I slip into a coma.  (ICP)
But that is my opinion and is removed from the issue of whether the
artists are talented or not.  I am just appalled that None of the
above is almost nil.

The question was...  How do you feel about the Chicks' CMA Awards
nomination for vocal group of the year (their first nomination since
Natalie Maines criticized President Bush in 2003, angering many fans)?

I didn't see an option for "I don't give a flying rats ass either way."

In the immortal words of Calvin and Hobbes:

Calvin: "People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they
don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the
world,"
Hobbes: "Isn't your pants' zipper supposed to be in the front?"