My dad insists on talking politics with me...

[Hobarticus]

He sent me a video of some guy standing up at a town meeting with Murtha and insisting that he just got back from Iraq and that morale is "excellent". The text with the video crows about Murtha getting "knocked speechless".

I wrote back, "this guy must be one of a kind, since about three-quarters of troops in Iraq say we should come home within a year. They sure want to get home for having such high morale, huh?"

His one word answer: "wrong"

I replied: "Hahaha! Good one!"

I hate swinging on my old man, but I despise these rah-rah dipshit e-mails he sends.

[CatWoman]

1. kick his ass

that'll teach him!! :D

[mattclearing]

17. Like Dubya did with his dad?

:D

[Emit]

2. When I see my dad, we do this, too

Which is really sad. Thank goodness I don't get emails from him, though. I would draw the line, there. I try to keep it to a minimum with him for all the reasons you posted.

[Hobarticus]

7. And you know, if it were a genuine, intelligent debate I wouldn't mind

But it's all this Wal-Mart brand of patriotism-lite crap that drives me bonkers. Mindless, knee-jerk, spoon-fed sound bites and false logic and empty reasoning that just frustrates the hell out of me. I guess I'd like to think that I sprung from more intelligent loins than that, but oh well.

[Emit]

18. You nailed it, there! n/t

[Emit]

23. Ironically

I just spoke with my dad today, and another old fart friend of mine who sounded just like him!

Here's the latest. Paraphrased, their overall message went something like this:

"...These insurgents are watching our news media every day. The weaker they can make this country over here the better chance they have of winning. They know they can't make our military weak over there... it is a certainty that we will win every battle over there. You know this weakness that they see means it will prolong the war and more fine men and women will die over there. You promoting your weakness is just a small part... add together everyone that feels that way, it doesn't make you look weak, it makes this country look weak. And those insurgents aren't exactly philosophers that are contemplating that you are right and "why can't we all just get along." They are thinking, "Hey, maybe we should cut someone's head off and make a video."

This isn't complicated. That's the very reason Bush said we will be over there after 2010 when his popularity is at an all time low. You just keep your mouth shut about that if you are into your popularity. But if you want the insurgents to get discouraged, then tell them we're going to be over there for at least another four or five years.

This idea that we have such a strong country and it can take criticism, is flawed. We see what those people do when a cartoon causes them to go nuts. They don't have the slightest clue that protesting our government shows strength... they see it just the opposite. From their dictator way of living a country protesting is getting ready to fall and they are in a very weak position... "

So, correct me if I'm wrong, is this the same as saying: "The failures in Iraq are due to peaceniks in America who point out the failures in Iraq"?

[CrispyQ]

3. Do what I did.

The summer before the '04 selection my mother sent me boosh crap relentlessly, even after I asked her not to. So I set up a rule in my email account & had all her emails deleted before they even reached my screen. About 6 weeks later she sent a non-political email & finally called to ask when I was going to respond about the wedding. So I told her -- I don't get your emails anymore. Since you would not respect my request to not send me boosh BS, I have a rule to delete anything from you.

She was plenty pissed off & a little hurt too, but you know what? She doesn't send me crap anymore.

[babylonsister]

4. Change your e-mail

address? :shrug:
It might benefit you to find out when that town hall meeting happened and to get a copy to send to Dad; I remember seeing it-Rep. Moran was the other speaker. There were far more people supporting Murtha than dissing him. Murtha, being a gentleman unlike dimson, let anyone and everyone have their say.

[Hobarticus]

12. Eh, it's not that drastic

I wouldn't cut him off or anything.

I imagined that was the gist of it, since the clip was edited way down. That's how it works for some people: sift through an hour's worth of audio/video for ten seconds that justifies themselves.

[DURHAM D]

5. Just curious - how old is your Dad ? eom

[Hobarticus]

9. 78, and strong (and stubborn) as a mule. n/t

[DURHAM D]

13. Did he serve in the military (Korea) or did he manage to avoid

service during a war/conflict?

[Hobarticus]

15. Tail end of WW2, just missed getting shipped to the Pacific

when Japan surrendered.

[DURHAM D]

19. For me, context is so important when trying to sort out

someone's world view. His ideas seem pretty typical for an older guy who did not actually fight.

Don't know how old you are but just remember that the next generation (my generation) that came after your dad's lost a war in Vietnam. Lots of WWII/Korean era guys have never gotten over the shame they feel towards us losers. They don't blame Johnson, Nixon, Westmorland, McNamara, or congress - they blame the kids. Thus, they are still looking for the next "greatest generation".

[Hobarticus]

21. Interestingly enough, my dad had the morals of an alley cat....

So yeah, the context is rather revealing, here.

[Warpy]

6. My dad threw in the towel after Stupid stole the office the first time

and knew any discussion would have him buried in facts he didn't particularly want to acknowledge.

He voted for Kerry in 2004.

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. My dad and I spend hours ripping on repugs and **. It's great fun.

[Hobarticus]

11. My late mother and I did that....

I miss that the most about her, she was as blue as the day is long and smart as hell.

Maybe that's what bugs me the most about it: my blue mother's gone, and I'm left with my goofy red dad.

[maxsolomon]

10. my dad used to send me that crap in 04

now he just avoids the topic. i think he's not so hot on the idiot anymore, but not big enough to admit i was right when i called bush an "incompetent fuckhead" after i couldn't take it anymore.

now he just sends me borderline-rascist shit from his redneck idiot golf buddies.

[Hobarticus]

14. What if...your dad and my dad hang out together?

Your dad's friends sound like my dad. Egads.

[maxsolomon]

22. cincinnati/south indiana?

aka north kentucky.

[baby_mouse]

16. ENOUGH.

Call it ENOUGH.

[DanCa]

20. My mom and I got into a nasty talk about illegal immigration today

THan she started pushing pro life gibberish on me. Funny I got my dad to vote for Senator Kerry this year, did my mom change her mind and vote for the chimp? Damn I cant stand the chimp he's dividing families now.