I hate politics

I’m sure you’ve heard about General McChrystal’s “incendiary comments” about…well, about everything. Mostly, I hear people feeling shock and outrage. REALLY guys? You’re SHOCKED that a lifelong military guy says bad words and doesn’t kiss ass and speaks his opinion? Sounds like just about every military guy I’ve ever known.

And really…the man is entitled to his own opinion. About the President, about the Vice President, about the war he was hired to fight; about everything. I may not (and often don’t) agree with everything the man says, but he should be allowed to say it. I’m sure getting a “talking to” from the President about calling Biden “short-sighted” was really exciting for a General in the US Military. So what if he thinks Biden is “short-sighted”? So what if he said that Obama seemed uncomfortable in a room full of military people? That’s his OPINION.

It’s entirely possible that Rolling Stone has no fucking place doing this sort of story anyway. If we, as American people, can’t handle the fact that the people we trust to defend our country have opinions and aren’t always politically correct, maybe we should keep the press out of the situation.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of war. I’m not even a fan of the way the military recruits and trains its soldiers. Read what I said there, okay? I’m not saying I don’t SUPPORT the military (though I don’t support rape or torture in any context, dudes) and have respect for the fact that they put their lives at risk to defend the freedoms I enjoy in this country. Got it? I’m just saying I wish we’d make some changes in recruitment, training, and the way women and homosexuality are treated.

(Despite how you may read that, I’m not suggesting that everyone in the military feels the same way about any given subject. Nor am I blaming rape and torture on the military. But in my opinion, which is really all I can give you on my blog, those things are issues that need to be addressed. In my opinion, the attitude toward women and homosexual people needs to be altered. That is a general statement and not meant about the thoughts of any individual serving in the military. I also sincerely doubt that I am alone in those opinions. Let’s also be mindful of the fact that I write these blogs in about 15 minutes and they don’t represent my complete thoughts about…anything.)

I guess all I’m trying to say is that I’m not at all shocked by the fact that a general in the US Military has differing opinions than politicians about the war that will never end in Afghanistan. I’m saying that I’m not shocked that some of his opinions involve curse words. I’m saying that I’m not the slightest bit shocked that when hanging with his crew, they make jokes about other people. And I’m saying that it doesn’t even phase me that the man has pissed off nearly everyone he’s come into contact with. None of that should really shock you either.

What should possibly shock you is that the Center for Science in the Public Interest is threatening to sue McDonald’s if they don’t stop “using toys to lure children to its Happy Meals.” No, I’m not joking.

Here’s a little secret, everyone: Children can’t drive. You know what that means, right? Unless you live next to a McDonald’s and you let your child run around without your knowledge, your kid probably isn’t getting to a McDonald’s if you don’t take it there.

YES, we have a problem with obesity in this country. YES, the children are fat. But seriously, it’s not McDonald’s fault. And even if they share in the blame? There are a couple dozen other fast-food joints out there who are doing the exact same things. How often do you see them getting sued for putting toys in their kids’ meals?

We should maybe all check ourselves a little bit and stop the blame game. No one puts food in your mouth but you. And you, as a parent, are responsible for your child’s food intake, at least until high school. I’ll admit that I wouldn’t want to wrestle with a teenager about nutrition, but we can add that to the many reasons I should never have kids.

Even better than that, the City of Arlington has decided that there’s too much prostitution going on in their parts. They’re proposing to ban people who have been convicted of any prostitution offense (within two years) from the Arts and Entertainment District.

I’m sorry, hang on while I laugh a little at calling anything in Arlington, Texas an “Arts and Entertainment District.” Get all pissy if you must, but when I think of Arts and Entertainment, I don’t even think of Texas, much less Arlington.

Aside from the obvious problem of enforcement (unless we’re going to start tattooing people’s foreheads or something), what about the way that this sort of…tramples on the constitutional rights of people who have served their time or paid their fine? No? We’re not worried about that, because we’re talking about dirty dirty people who would…PAY FOR SEX! Oh no!

Is anyone else kind of puzzled as to why the burglars and murderers get a pass here?

It’s cool, though, because they’re going to warn everyone who’s been convicted of such a crime BEFORE they kick them out and arrest them. Oh, and if you have a good reason, you’re allowed to be there. Good reasons include: You work there, you’re seeing a doctor, you’re seeing an attorney. Good reasons do not include: You’re going to a Cowboys game, you’re going to a Rangers game, you just fucking want to be because you have the right to go anywhere you fucking please as a free citizen of this state.

Police Chief Bowman? I hate to tell you this, but no, this is not “a pretty creative and innovative way to deal with one of the world’s oldest problems.” It’s nearly impossible to enforce and it seems in direct conflict with the Bill of Rights. But what do I know? I’m just a lowly archaeologist.

Personally, I love the way you guys contradict yourselves on the subject. (And being the cynic I am, I wonder how many of you public figures are partaking in the very services you condemn, but that’s a topic for another day.)

From the first page of the article: “It’s a family oriented environment. Visible prostitution on the streets could certainly take away from that ambiance,” said north Arlington council member Mel LeBlanc, who represents the entertainment district.

From the second page: The zone would provide another way for police to keep up with a changing illicit sex industry, which has become less visible with the advent of technology.

So it’s a problem with visible prostitution that’s no longer visible because of technology? Interesting.

This is all getting a bit old, isn’t it?