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Am I A Regular Guy?

I used to think I was just a regular guy, but… I was born white, which now, whether I like it or not, makes me a racist. I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which by today’s standards, makes me a fascist. I am heterosexual, which according to gay folks, now makes me a homophobe. I am non-union, which makes me a traitor to the working class and an ally of big business. I am a Christian, which now labels me as an infidel. I believe in the 2nd Amendment, which now makes me a member of the vast gun lobby. I am older than 70 and retired, which makes me a useless old man. I think and I reason, therefore I doubt much that the main stream media tells me, which must make me a reactionary. I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive American culture, which makes me a xenophobe. I value my safety and that of my family and I appreciate the police and the legal system, which makes me a right-wing extremist. I believe in hard work, fair play, and fair compensation according to each individual's merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist. I (and most of the folks I know), acquired a fair education without student loans (it’s called work) and no debt at graduation, which makes me some kind of an odd underachiever. I believe in the defense and protection of the homeland for and by all citizens, which now makes me a militant. Now, a sick old woman is calling me and my friends a basket of deplorables. Please help me come to terms with the new me…because I‘m just not sure who I am anymore! I would like to thank all my friends for sticking with me through these abrupt, new found changes in my life and my thinking! I just can’t imagine or understand what’s happened to me so quickly! Funny…it’s all just taken place over the last 7 or 8 years! As if all this poop wasn’t enough to deal with… I’m now afraid to go into either restroom!

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on September 29, 2016 at 18:14

I have to admit I got this from John kellog.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on September 29, 2016 at 18:59

AND.....

You like knives.
(Wonder what THAT makes you in certain circles?)

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 29, 2016 at 19:37

ROFL at both you and John

The mainstream media would certainly have you seeing this world through the eyes of about 10% of each grouping listed and it would definitely lead to this type of a personal crisis. Regrettably our elected officials fall into that 10% because they get all they know from mainstream media.

Hang in there one of two things is going to happen soon. Either this prolific amount of bovine excrement will cease and we can all get back to just being Americans OR all is lost and we need to figure out who you are LOL

and to answers JJ's question, if we go the way of Europe (give up the knife for a happy life) you will also be an unhappy weapons hoarder

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Jeremy B. Buchanan on September 29, 2016 at 19:38

Very good point to be made here. I just wish the other people understood that we are not as crazy as they think we are.

Permalink Reply by John Kellogg on October 1, 2016 at 17:56

I must admit, I got it from ... ........ another member here.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by dead_left_knife_guy on October 2, 2016 at 16:24

Charles, did you ever consider the possibility that you were in the other, non-deplorable half of Trump supporters?

Seriously, if you believe people should have equal rights to employment, to love who they actually love & file taxes jointly with whom they please, to be able to walk down the streets without being harassed by police, regardless of race, gender, orientation, or religion, then maybe you're not in that basket of deplorables to which Hillary was referring.

By the way, college tuition has increased dramatically in the likely decades since you went to school, & grants cover a much smaller percentage of student bills than they used to (most students get little if anything in grants), so the choice there really is college with debt or no college at all for the vast majority of people.

Also, American unions have long since peaked & gone into decline -- few people are union these days. Average middle class wages also went into decline around the same time & have largely been in decline since the 70's, as adjusted for inflation, while executive income has increased, leading to the depletion of the middle class that's often mentioned.

I'm surprised you used the term "anti-socialist" as opposed to "capitalist", so I have to ask why?

(I know you said you took this from someone else who has since said he took it from another -- but you republished as if to own the words yourself, & you certainly could've added, subtracted, or modified any of the words or phrases posted, so I'll assume you at least back the sentiment of each in your post.)

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 2, 2016 at 18:16

DLKG,

I have to admit, when I went to college, California still had free tuition for those of us that had graduated HS in the state and could prove residency. Nothing fancy, the community college and you had to buy your own books.

Both our daughters however went to college in GA. Both worked their way through college at hooters, with grants and little help they both graduated without debt. To this day they each hold at least 2 jobs, having to earn their way through college made them understand and validated how they were raised. You want it, earn it.

Being one of the first females to break through what I guess others call the glass ceiling in a mans world, I was the first female auto adjuster hired by a major insurance company. If you want equal pay...you must produce equal work. If you do, you have earned it.

Yes, some of us come from a different time, it does not mean we do not like the time we are living in. It means sometimes we just do not understand where we fit in anymore

FeaturedPermalink Reply by dead_left_knife_guy on October 2, 2016 at 18:50

Jan, I think it's great that your daughters did not acquire any debt (or at least any significant debt) getting through college, but there's another quite significant difference that you mention -- graduating college and working two jobs even with that degree. Granted, sometimes getting further in your career requires doing exactly this, & sometimes people just take on a second job for fun. However, most often, it's due to financial need. I certainly hope theirs is more a matter of choice, & not need.

I'll definitely disagree with your sentiment that people get equal pay for equal work (this may have been an off-hand comment that was worded poorly, but in case it wasn't, I'll expand on my thought). That's just not how our system works -- employees are paid based on what the employer considers to be their worth, & this varies based on the market as well as on the supply & demand of the necessary workforce -- mostly gone are the days of the pension, for example. And there has long been lower pay for women and people of color. We're simply not in a society that is completely race or gender neutral, or race & gender equal. White working class men are benefiting less now from the system than they ever have, but on the whole they still are in superior positions to working class women & working class men of color. Here's a recent article that seems to take all of these factors into consideration, including the decline of the white blue collar man in recent decades:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/23/opinions/shell-shocked-white-working-...

However, I can sympathize with not knowing where I fit in, especially since the notion of "fit in" has changed so drastically in recent decades, as has what it means to not fit in.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on October 2, 2016 at 21:35

DLKG, joking aside I have to answer you in all seriousness. First I will say I just posted that as I found it. I did not change any wording. I thought that it was it humorous satire. I am going to answer point by point.

dead_left_knife_guy said:

Charles, did you ever consider the possibility that you were in the other, non-deplorable half of Trump supporters?

I believe Hillary thinks all Trump supporters are deplorable. I am sure she would think I am deplorable if she knew me. After all I am against sin and perversion and I cling to my Bible and my guns.

Seriously, if you believe people should have equal rights to employment, to love who they actually love & file taxes jointly with whom they please,

I am a firm believer in equal rights but not special rights. And reverse discrimination is still discrimination.

to be able to walk down the streets without being harassed by police, regardless of race, gender, orientation, or religion,

I don't believe any innocent person should be harassed by police. I have seen the badge from both sides. I carried a badge myself for several years. Most people have no idea what a police officer faces in doing his duty. A police officer has no idea who he is stopping. He wears a uniform but the one being stopped doesn't. And he wants to go home at the end of his shift as much as anybody else. If stopped by the police, don't be belligerent, don't try to fight them. Just do what they say and you will be alright. Why is that so hard to understand?

then maybe you're not in that basket of deplorables to which Hillary was referring.

Again i am sure Hillary would think I am deplorable.

By the way, college tuition has increased dramatically in the likely decades since you went to school, & grants cover a much smaller percentage of student bills than they used to (most students get little if anything in grants), so the choice there really is college with debt or no college at all for the vast majority of people.

My parents weren't able to pay my college bills. I got a small scholarship that paid about half of my tuition for one year. My parents did all they could but I had student loans for the rest. I had several thousand dollars in debt when I graduated. But I went to work and paid them off. And I don't think the only choice is debt or no college. My son went to the local junior college and got a two year degree in industrial maintenance. He worked his way through and finished with no debt. I only had to help him one semester.

Also, American unions have long since peaked & gone into decline -- few people are union these days. Average middle class wages also went into decline around the same time & have largely been in decline since the 70's, as adjusted for inflation, while executive income has increased, leading to the depletion of the middle class that's often mentioned.

A lot of the unions' problems was due to their overreaching demands and the graft and corruption of their leadership. As an example there used to be a large GM plant just ten miles down the road from here. It closed several years ago because it lost too much money. Due to union rules they were having to pay a lot of employees nearly full salary for not working while they were having to pay others overtime.

I'm surprised you used the term "anti-socialist" as opposed to "capitalist", so I have to ask why?

Well I am anti socialist and I am a capitalist. That is why I am anti Hillary. She is a rabid socialist besides being evil.

(I know you said you took this from someone else who has since said he took it from another -- but you republished as if to own the words yourself, & you certainly could've added, subtracted, or modified any of the words or phrases posted, so I'll assume you at least back the sentiment of each in your post.)

I posted it because I thought it was humorous satire. And for humor to be really funny it has to have a basis in truth. And there is a lot of truth in it. And yes I agree with pretty much all of the sentiment expressed.

PS: I am not so much a Trump supporter as I am anti Hillary. To me this election is more about the Supreme Court than either Hillary or Trump. Hillary is a rabid socialist and would appoint a rabid socialist to the Court. After eight years of Hillary we would most likely have at least a 6-3 if not a 7-2 liberal/socialist Supreme Court. And we would not see another conservative decision out of the Court for at least the next 40 years. As for Trump I don't know what kind of president he would be but he is a capitalist and has put together a list of conservative justices for possible Supreme Court nominees.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on October 3, 2016 at 8:20

No matter where Charles (and as well as John and whoever HE got it from), it contains more than a small amount of truth.

I only wish I had thought it out and committed it to print first.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 3, 2016 at 8:44

Permalink Reply by Cory Hess on October 5, 2016 at 0:26

The student loan debts people accrue kills me. I went to college in the 90s, and I took advantage of a government program that paid 100% of my tuition and even covered my room and board. Almost everybody qualifies, and as long as you keep your grades up you never have to pay it back. It's called the G.I. Bill. It's a great program, and when you use it you'll realize that you don't learn the important stuff sitting in a classroom anyways.

Of course I also held down two jobs through college, one on campus and one off. Then again, I was raised to believe in being self-reliant. What really gets me is these people that go to school for four years, don't work any kind of job while they're in school, and then complain about being in debt. If I were to go four years without working I'd to be in debt too, whether I'm attending classes or not. That kinda seems like common sense to me.