Jay Leno Asks Why - OT

Wesley

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Apr 12, 2006
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Subject: JAY LENO..." HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD"

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the
country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying
cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide
services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowin g that in the unfortunate case of a
fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your
family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to
defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has
67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the US, yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we
live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after
9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession?

Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe
from terrorist attacks?

The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show?

Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be
glad?

Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom.

There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. The media makes actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative."

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Jay Leno
 
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benjay

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Mar 23, 2006
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that article isn't worth the bandwidth it took to send it to my pc
 

CyinCo

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Mar 24, 2006
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I highly doubt Jay Leno wrote that. It sounds like every other chain-mail e-mail that I get. People like to slap some celebrity name on it to propagate the e-mail. People are suckers for celebrity opinions. "well if Jay Leno said this, I should send this to so and so because they love Jay Leno."

The article ridiculous anyway. I could use the same logic this article uses to argue that people should be happy as long as they are alive.
 

spanny

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I don't care who wrote it, I like it alot, why are we so unhappy, shutup and deal with it. I teach and I have three kids in my class who are constantly whining about being unhappy, and I aloways ask why, and one responds I am bored, the other shrugs and the other blame the class. It is my little microcausm. Bottom line all people can not be pleased all of the time.
 

jkoo

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Apr 21, 2006
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Bryceman, where did you get this?
I had a hard time believing it was Jay Leno that wrote that, but it does bring up a good point. Americans can be awfully materialistic, spoiled, and ungrateful....:sad9cd:
 

BryceC

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Bottom line all people can not be pleased all of the time.

True, but I'd hope greater than 33% could.

Edit: I'm not happy with the president or direction of the country, but I'm totally happy with my personal life. It doesn't totally equate. I will guarantee you Leno didn't write this, and it just sounds like an email some Bush homer wanted to spread around the internet.
 
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Cyclonepride

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I don't care who wrote it either. It's dead on. People need to remember that the media instantly shows us the worst things going on in the world, in real time. Of course, if you bother to read anything other than the sensational headlines, you will find that the headlines rarely match the overall article.

I read a good book lately which broke down the politics of our economy. The basic point was that the liberals aren't upset about the plight of people.....it's the difference in income from top to bottom. The fact is, the poverty line is moving upward, meaning that those in "poverty" usually have a car, a cellphone, cable tv, air conditioning, etc. People in real poverty would give anything just for a meal from day to day.
 

Wesley

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Apr 12, 2006
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Just went to google and typed in "jay leno unhappy article." Judge authencity for yourself. Lots of references came up.
 
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cmoore_23

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Mar 23, 2006
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this is 99% true, face the facts, and i also could care less if leno wrote it or not, its the truth, but my real ? is when the hell was there a "poll" that asked "are u happy with the country's direction" and i gurantee no 60% of the country even answered it, also the only thing in the article that wasnt 100% true was the part opf getting out of going to war, yes u can say no and not go, but that can land u in military prison, but with that said if u say no, then ur a real idiot considering that if u join u know what u are getting urself into, and by signing on all of those damn dotted lines, and yes there is alot..., u have said u will do what is asked.. and that includes going to war, and this whole pull out of iraq crap has to stop, what are we going to say, uhhh we are just going to leave..so if u could just kinda stop shooting at us for a little bit, and then once we are gone u can just go back to what u were doing... ya that makes a whole lot of sense...

ok i am done...

but like i said that article is right on the money and those that say it is not just need to open their eyes and wake up
 

cloneatlaw

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Maybe people are happy about all that's listed in that article but unhappy because they know we can do a whole lot better. It could be that good ol' American optimism in not always being happy with things staying the same but always wanting to tackle that next challenge, to make life better for everyone in the world, and to be the envy of the world. Maybe people think we're not living up to that challenge?
 

mike4cy

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Aug 4, 2006
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Bryceman, where did you get this?
I had a hard time believing it was Jay Leno that wrote that, but it does bring up a good point. Americans can be awfully materialistic, spoiled, and ungrateful....:sad9cd:

Yep, FDR said it best: "Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them."
 

JHudd

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I highly doubt Jay Leno wrote that. It sounds like every other chain-mail e-mail that I get. People like to slap some celebrity name on it to propagate the e-mail. People are suckers for celebrity opinions. "well if Jay Leno said this, I should send this to so and so because they love Jay Leno."

The article ridiculous anyway. I could use the same logic this article uses to argue that people should be happy as long as they are alive.


Both sides are guilty of that, people love getting some juicy Rosie O quotes and Alec Baldwin lines thrown about, along with quite a few other celebs who love to use any award show they are at to tell us how WE should be acting and living while they do the opposite.

No one else can make you happy, only you have that option. Being happy is a choice all you have to do is make it. :biggrin9gp:
 

HandSanitizer

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Apr 19, 2006
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It is a good article. Just imagine if you were too afraid to hop on a cyride bus because you thought it would explode. We have it pretty good here. I think what people are pissed about is that the Trillions of dollars its going to take to get Iraq going could be new schools, healthcare, homeless help etc... in the US. Nice post.
 

Stumpy

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Apr 10, 2006
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It looks like I may be in the minority but here's my take on it:

The polling question is "How do you feel about the direction of the country?" and "Do you approve of the president?" Now I'm not sure how the author was able to spin these questions into a rant about negative media but the two points are unrelated.

Is the question at hand "Would you rather live in America or Darfur?" - No. Is the question "Are you grateful for the services and liberties provided in America?" - No.

Now you can argue that Americans are largely ignorant of the outside world. You can say that we are on the whole born into privilege and opportunity simply because we are Americans. And these statements are correct. But those points are unrelated to the polling questions that begin this essay.

Simply because I disapprove of the direction the country is headed doesn't mean I think we're bound for disaster. Simply because I disapprove of the president doesn't mean I am not thankful for the life America provides. It's not that I don't believe that America is one of the best countries in the world; I just think it could be even better.
 

Cyclonepride

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I very much agree that it can be better, and that we shouldn't just repeat the mantra that it's the greatest place on Earth, and then everything will be alright.

But those topics are definitely related. The messages that the media send are definitely powerful, especially if the topic they are covering is continually covered with the same agenda in mind. You can get people to believe almost anything if you repeat it enough times.