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BOB WILL YOU RUN THIS IN
STARFISH NOW?
LOREN
Yes, Loren, I will
Bob
I AM A SICK AMERICAN
THERE ARE THOSE WHO
CLAIM OURS IS A 'SICK' SOCIETY; THAT OUR COUNTRY IS SICK;
OUR GOVERNMENT IS SICK; THAT WE ARE SICK. WELL, MAYBE
THEY'RE RIGHT. I SUBMIT THAT I'M SICK ... AND MAYBE YOU ARE,
TOO. I AM SICK OF HAVING POLICEMEN RIDICULED AND CALLED
'PIGS' WHILE COP KILLERS ARE HAILED AS SOME KIND OF FOLK
HEROS.
I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD
THAT RELIGION IS THE OPIATE OF THE PEOPLE, BUT MARIJUANA
SHOULD BE LEGALIZED.
I AM SICK OF
COMMENTATORS AND COLUMNISTS CANONIZING ANARCHISTS,
REVOLUTIONARIES AND CRIMINAL RAPISTS, BUT CONDEMNING LAW
ENFORCEMENT WHEN SUCH CRIMINALS ARE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD
THAT PORNOGRAPHY IS THE RIGHT OF FREE PRESS, BUT FREEDOM OF
THE PRESS DOES NOT INCLUDE BEING ABLE TO READ THE BIBLE ON
SCHOOL GROUNDS.
I AM SICK OF PAYING
MORE AND MORE TAXES TO BUILD SCHOOLS WHILE I SEE SOME
FACULTY MEMBERS ENCOURAGING STUDENTS EITHER TO TEAR THEM
DOWN OR BURN THEM.
I AM SICK OF SUPREME
COURT DECISIONS WHICH TURN CRIMINALS LOOSE ON SOCIETY -
WHILE OTHER DECISIONS TRY TO TAKE AWAY MY MEANS OF
PROTECTING MY HOME AND FAMILY.
I AM SICK OF
POT-SMOKING ENTERTAINERS DELUGING ME WITH THEIR CONDEMNATION
OF MY MORAL STANDARDS ON LATE-NIGHT TELEVISION
I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD
THAT POLICEMEN ARE MAD DOGS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE GUNS - BUT
THAT CRIMINALS WHO USE GUNS TO ROB, MAIM AND MURDER SHOULD
BE UNDERSTOOD AND HELPED BACK TO SOCIETY.
I AM SICK OF BEING TOLD
IT IS WRONG TO USE NAPALM TO END A WAR OVERSEAS - BUT IF
IT'S A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL OR A BOMB AT HOME, I MUST UNDERSTAND
THE PROVOCATIONS.
I AM SICK OF NOT BEING
ABLE TO TAKE MY FAMILY TO A MOVIE UNLESS I WANT TO HAVE THEM
EXPOSED TO NUDITY, HOMOSEXUALITY AND THE GLORIFICATION OF
NARCOTICS.
I AM SICK OF RIOTS,
MARCHES, PROTESTS, DEMONSTRATIONS, CONFRONTATIONS, AND THE
OTHER MOB TEMPER TANTRUMS OF PEOPLE INTELLECTUALLY INCAPABLE
OF WORKING WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
I AM SICK OF HEARING
THE SAME PHRASES, THE SAME SLICK SLOGANS, THE CRIES OF
PEOPLE WHO MUST CHANT THE SAME THING LIKE ZOMBIES BECAUSE
THEY HAVEN'T THE CAPACITY FOR VERBALIZING THOUGHT.
I AM SICK OF THOSE WHO
SAY I OWE THEM THIS OR THAT BECAUSE OF THE SINS OF MY
FOREFATHERS -WHEN I HAVE LOOKED DOWN BOTH ENDS OF A GUN
BARREL TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS, THEIR LIBERTIES AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
I AM SICK OF CYNICAL
ATTITUDES TOWARD PATRIOTISM. I AM SICK OF POLITICIANS WITH
NO BACKBONE.
I AM SICK OF
PERMISSIVENESS.
I AM SICK OF THE DIRTY,
THE FOUL-MOUTHED, THE UNWASHED.
I AM SICK OF THE
DECLINE OF PERSONAL HONESTY, PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND HUMAN
SINCERITY.
MOST OF ALL, THOUGH, I
AM SICK OF BEING TOLD I'M SICK. I'M SICK OF BEING TOLD MY
COUNTRY IS SICK -- WHEN WE HAVE THE GREATEST NATION THAT MAN
HAS EVER BROUGHT FORTH ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. FULLY FIFTY
PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE ON EARTH WOULD WILLINGLY TRADE PLACES
WITH THE MOST DEPRIVED, THE MOST UNDERPRIVILEGED AMONG US.
YES, I MAY BE SICK, BUT
IF I AM ONLY SICK, I CAN GET WELL. I CAN ALSO HELP MY
SOCIETY GET WELL - AND HELP MY COUNTRY GET WELL.
TAKE NOTE, ALL OF YOU
... YOU WILL NOT FIND ME THROWING A ROCK OR A BOMB; YOU WILL
NOT FIND ME UNDER A PLACARD; YOU WILL NOT SEE ME TAKE TO THE
STREETS; YOU WILL NOT FIND ME RANTING TO WILD-EYED MOBS.
BUT YOU WILL FIND ME AT
WORK, PAYING TAXES, SERVING IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE I LIVE.
YOU WILL ALSO FIND ME EXPRESSING MY ANGER AND INDIGNATION TO
ELECTED OFFICIALS.
YOU WILL FIND ME
SPEAKING OUT IN SUPPORT OF THOSE OFFICIALS, INSTITUTIONS AND
PERSONALITIES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ELEVATION OF SOCIETY AND
NOT ITS DESTRUCTION. YOU WILL FIND ME CONTRIBUTING MY TIME,
MONEY AND PERSONAL INFLUENCE TO HELPING CHURCHES, HOSPITALS,
CHARITIES AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH HAVE SHOWN THE TRUE
SPIRIT OF THIS COUNTRY'S DETERMINATION TO EASE PAIN,
SUFFERING, ELIMINATE HUNGER AND GENERATE BROTHERHOOD.
BUT, MOST OF ALL,
YOU'LL FIND ME AT THE POLLING PLACE. THERE IF YOU LISTEN -
YOU CAN HEAR THE THUNDER OF THE COMMON MAN. THERE, ALL OF US
CAN CAST OUR VOTES - FOR AN AMERICA WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK
THE STREETS WITHOUT FEAR.
?© 9/27/04 LOREN MOORE
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