From: Paul A. Thomas (bluewhale@jaxkneppers.com)
Date: Fri Feb 28 2003 - 21:10:26 PST
> Maybe you are right Paul, but I have enough nightmares left over from Nam.
> I personally don't need any more.
> Bruce
Sigh. I think you're right Bruce. I was born in '60. Which means I was
playing with GI Joe's when the war was on TV. In fact, nightly body counts
are what I grew up with. I was always so mad that I wasn't old enough to
go. ( laughs ) Politics wasn't a word I could even spell then.
And Jay I appreciate your thoughts. And failure to flame me on site/posting
<g>. But those thoughts were as honest and to the core as I have. To me,
what makes America great is the blending of ideas, customs.. and the legal
system catching up. ANYBODY saying ( this is knee jerk reaction: nothing in
ANY way a slam on Jay's thoughts ) information should be hidden away
raises hackles on my sadly over haired back. When there is secrecy, and
humans or at least Americans ( who idolize capitalism ) involved, more
often than not those people choose to make money or power with those secrets.
I know a lot of Cops/ex constables are list members. For my part, when I
did claims for 10 years as a youth <!> whenever we had a fatality and the
CHP or whomever took pics people would FLOCK around us when we finally got
the photos. They would feign disinterest, then look, then turn green or
whatever... I've spoken to more than enough in similar circumstances over
the years to see this is a normal reaction to a horrible event.
So in part I applied this to Columbia's crew. But the devils advocate that
lives in my head said ' why should people worry about how they look on TV
when they are dying? ' Finally, the same reasoning I gave you
applies: people have to have heros. *I* certainly do. If a video tape
showed them acting like normal people when they died then I lose nothing...
they were in fact normal people and I live with that. But on the REALLY
RARE occasion when they person acts knowing their example will/may be
burnished into the mind of everyone who sees it and puts normal human
reactions aside to try to do whatever they can to achieve their goal... I
live for that.
In my defense, I don't watch Operah, Geraldo et al. I've never seen an
episode of ... Survivor?
I don't push my beliefs: but do sort of exude them. if someone at work or
elsewhere wants to discuss it and debate it I'm all ears. But that gets
back to personal beliefs.... which leads back to a Slightly MV related
topic. Having lurked then participated on this list for a couple of years I
can see why listers neighbors might look askance at them. ( who has an O2
cylinder I can break the neck on? ) But how man of y'all find friends and
family sort of look at you ( when you occasionally wax eloquently about a
vehicle ) and sort of gloss it over? Perhaps I should be ' in your face '
about liking and restoring old MV's.. but that would not be a good fit.
While I'm droning on.. if someone's still reading.. a meet at Big Bear in
N Cal is coming up. It's possible that my slightly modified beast will be
running and legal by then. but if not: what day would be best to visit the
gathering? And is a Kilt required? I've a proper one, but have gained 20
pounds since it was made and rather enjoy inhaling.
Peace out dawgs.
Paul
'53 REO M35 Fire Conversion
'53 AEC Chevy 3/4 Ton
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