December 27, 2006: Nigerian gas explosion outcome [very graphic]

[CaliforniaMama]

Originally Posted by GuyNamedGuy

Or we can go down the tubes. It's our choice. This country is no longer really willing to pledge its lives or its fortunes to defend itselfand its interests; when those are gone, the "sacred honor" is a meaningless phrase, a bag of hot air. I want this country to rise to the occasion, to save itself while it still has time, to show it can still work and sacrifice to keep its most precious resources - its independence and freedom. To show the world how it's done, and why the restof the world ought to respedt us. And hey, let's make money while we're at it - I got no problem with that. But there are days where I think I'm the only one left who feels we should sacrifice, or work, or do any-damn-thing, to save ourselves.

It's almost like a huge PR problem. A problem of how to get everyone on the same page. There are too many factions with too many different interests and we can't sit down and see how they can all mesh.

It's like arguing with an SO, but at completely cross purposes. Why argue? Aren't we all in this together?

It is that concept of ONE nation, that we are all in this together that seems to have gotten lost. Or maybe it was never there.

In the movie, The Good Shepherd, Matt Damon's character is talking to a mobster. The mobster says the Italians have their family and their church, the Irish have the homeland . . . but what have the [CIA white dudes] got? Matt Damon's character responds "The USA. The rest of you people are just visiting."

Until we can erase that attitude we are helpless to solve the endemic problems plaguing our land. If we can't fix things at home, how are we supposed to help others? We just end up exporting our own problems and making them global.