Mendenhall Fumbles Again

If you mean level headed means one way conversation, then fine. I said what you said was horseshit, but left the insults out of it.

I don’t know what country you live in, but all those that you use as examples of “comfortable poor”(??) are working their asses off to just stay alive. If you think this country has a level playing field in regard to economics and the “american dream” you’re in fairy land. Those safety nets you are so keen on are systematically being dismantled because they are “socialist”, and corporatism is running rampant, making the rich even richer, even after the economic meltdown. But hey, we still have our iphones and blockbuster movies, right? Go tell that to those that are living paycheck to paycheck, owing money to banks with loansharking interest rates. There are people who eat mcdonalds and burger king because that’s all they can afford, and get obese because of all the sugars fed to them, causing diabetes; shortened life spans as a result of heard disease. Ask yourself this : Why are all those that you see have drug addiction problems?

If you have hdtv and a car, then you aren’t “poor.” The poverty threshold in this country is making less than $11K a year for one person. You can’t possibly own and operate a vehicle and have health insurance, pay rent, feed yourself, and still get cable on HDTV – even with unemployment insurance.

Poverty threshold :
Persons in Family, in the 48 Contiguous States and D.C
1 $10,890
2 $14,710
3 $18,530
4 $22,350
5 $26,170
6 $29,990
7 $33,810
8 $37,630
For each additional
person, add $3,820

*SOURCE: Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 13, January 20, 2011, pp. 3637-3638

Census Bureau information here.

What does this have to do with Hitler’s Germany?

Further.

While the US military was up to questionable tactics in the 50s (over 60 years ago) they weren’t murdering civilians in cold blood i.e. 9/11.

Was that like a shot at, say Muslims? Or maybe Islamic countries? Do you read the news? The United States has killed thousands in cold blood, and has committed human rights violations as well as atrocities against, yes, civilians. Go ask the population of Iraq. Go ask India about Union Carbide. Go ask the Vietnamese. Go ask the Iraqi’s of the’ Highway of Death.’ Go ask the Japanese about hiroshima and nagasaki. What about the wholesale destruction of Dresden? The war was all but over. You make it seem like the U.S. has progressed and is now that shiny beacon on the hill, innocent of all sins against humanity. It continues, and will continue because as George H Bush said : The “American way of life will not be negotiated.” In other words, we will continue imperialism and abuse so the rich can make more money and distract us with the failure of “trickle down” economics and continue to step on the backs of non g8 countries.

This is the America we live in :

But I commend you for your work ethic, and helping those in need. I just take offense at painting a rosy picture when we are far from solving societal problems and improving the human condition. We like to think we are above it all, it’s just masqueraded by what we call freedom and capitalism. If you want to compare the US to a third world country, then it’s not worth the comparison. Other countries have universal healthcare, and aren’t eating crap because capitalism creates price points for human sustenance. Oh yeah, I guess I have to say at this point “I love this country, it’s the best in the world” so as to pacify those that call me anti- American. I should be able criticize and still be patriotic.

Maybe all I have a problem with is your definition of poverty ….

End of rant.

GO STEELERS!

That’s fine. Everyone should form their own opinion. I just figured since you seem to know so much about it and you were citing these thousands of engineers that you’d be able to provide me a source to one.

I’ve already done a considerable amount of research on the matter and I have an opinion that I am comfortable with.

but it doesn’t make the other comparisons disappear.

Perception is key, but I believe, or at least used to believe, that if you had the facts then your perception would change. It just seems that no matter what the facts are people believe what they want to believe based on their feelings. Slavery elicits such a emotional response that people get wrapped up in. Are they slaves. No. Not even close. Does it look bad to compare their situation to slavery, yes but there really isn’t anything else to compare it to. Also I never said I didn’t like the franchise tag. I see its usefulness, just using it as an example.

People get outraged so easy in this country. We play right into the media’s hand. We turn into big kids every time someone says something we don’t like. Just because I don’t agree with what you say doesn’t make it a big deal. A players comments should not get people so riled up emotionally. Its just someone talking. Seriously, people say more controversial stuff around their friends. But if its a athlete that even hints at something controversial, its time to light the pitchforks. That’s more of my issue, people’s responses moreso than the players comments. But what can you do? I just give my opinion and try to remind people in the grand scheme of life- a players opinion isn’t really that important, even less important than the sport that they play.

As for the Mendy part, I agree, companies hire you for your public image, you ruin that then they have no reason to keep employing you. Just like if he bust his knee and can’t run the Steelers have no reason to keep paying him.

maybe he can do some beer or liquor commercials. He would be a great poster child for alcoholic beverages.

Don’t know how we came up with that date….