NOW THAT'S NOT FUNNY

Picking a Fight: Who ME?

I read on another Writing.Com member's off-site blog that the No. 1 thing you shouldn't use your blog for is:

Quote:
1) Rant about politicians. Instead, why not rant about the lack of political activists and interested voters determined to make a difference?

Do I rant? Really?

Well...


According to the English (North American) Encarta Dictionary I consulted, the definition of the word rant is:

Rant (transitive and intransitive verb)
speak in loud exaggerated manner
To speak in a very loud, aggressive, or bombastic way, usually at length and repetitively

Rant (noun)
Loud and threatening speech
Speech or language that is very loud and threatening but also monotonous or unconvincing


"One of the major contributing factors to self-created stress is the tendency that most of us have to hold on to battles that we have virtually no chance of winning," Richard Carlson writes in his bestselling book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work. He adds that even if you win the wrong battle, you lose, because you've expended energy and effort that could have been put to better use.


How can you tell which battles are worth fighting? Here are some guidelines:

When not to fight:

- You are trying to change people who have no interest in changing.

- The outcome won't be materially different whether you win or lose.

- The matter really isn't all that relevant or important to you.

- You are not fully informed about the issue or fully convinced that your position is correct.

- You have no chance of winning.

- You have other priorities that are far more pressing.
- You're just feeling surly or want to show others you're not a wimp.

When it's OK to fight:

- Your ideas are being diminished.

- Your reputation is being sullied.

- It's for the betterment of the organization.

- You're standing up against action that is cruel or illegal.

- Something legitimate or terribly important is at stake.

- The issue involves integrity.

- The issue involves a significant amount of money.

I'm going to try to defend my position from the point of view on When it's OK to fight:

- Your ideas are being diminished.

The current government doesn't care what I think - Bush has said so. Bush claims he does not look at polls. So, to my way of thinking, if Bush does not care what the majority of Americans think then he is surely diminishing my ideas, especially when I'm in agreement with the majority.

- Your reputation is being sullied.

Bush agendas are affecting the reputation of America all around the world. I'm an American - hence Bush policy/agenda is hurting all of us, including me.

- It's for the betterment of the organization.

The American Government is a representive organization of democracy. Bush and his cohorts can't possibly have the best interest of America at the heart of their policy making. Just recently, Bush and his cohorts have news media scrambling at his statement "all options are on the table" in the Bush Administration confrontation with Iran about their nuclear pursuits - to the point that Bush is considering dropping nuclear bombs on selective sites in Iran. Good Lord, I watched a news program the other night, with detailed graphics and demographics about the destruction and loss of life if a Terrorist Organization set off a nuclear bomb at the foot of the Empire State Building.

I believe with all my heart and soul it would be better for our government organization to not provoke another war - much less a nuclear war with their pre-emptive strike tactics. In my mind, defending democracy does not mean being the bully on the block.

- You're standing up against action that is cruel or illegal.

The War in Iraq is cruel and illegal. I defend my position on this till the day I die.

- Something legitimate or terribly important is at stake.

Life is important. Democracy is important. Bush and his regime are endangering our way of life, not just with Bush's war on terror, but with his selling long held American values to the highest Corporate Bidder.

- The issue involves integrity.

The Bush White House has no integrity.

Again, According to the English (North American) Encarta Dictionary I consulted the word Integrity means:

Possession of firm principles
The quality of possessing and steadfastly adhring to high moral principles or professional standards

Please if any of you disagree with me about the Bush White House not have high moral principles or professional standards - tell me. I want to know how you define high moral principles - Bush has repeatedly, and delibrately lied. Professional Standards must mean to Bush "a person's ability to keep a secret." Secrets are not necessary if what you're doing is right, just, and legal. Bush's Warrantless wiretaps are illegal, but evidently Bush holds himself above the law of our land. To be a Democracy means free and equal representation of the people. In a democratic government there is "oversight" - Which means – supervision… the responsibility of supervising something falls on governmental committees - something Bush fails to comprehend and abide by.

Completeness
The state of being complete or undivided

Bush and his appointed cohorts are dividing our nation in every aspect that is important to freedom and democracy.

Wholeness
The state of being sound or undamaged

America's reputation is damaged and current government policies are unsound.

- The issue involves a significant amount of money.

This should be evident to everyone if you look at trade deficits, exporting jobs to the lowest bidder in foreign countries, and our national debt, oh, and Tax cuts for the wealthiest of the wealthiest, and the disappearance of America's middle class.

I don't think of what I write as RANTING. I can't incite people to riot - that's illegal. I can't take up arms against my own government - that's certainly illegal...

But I can write about the criminal and immoral activity of an American President...

And I will continue to write, and you don't have to read what I write, nor is there a law that even says you have to be informed about governmental goings on...

But I can always look back and say... "Well, I told you so... but you didn't listen."