A Mommy Blog About Raising Men, Not Boys.
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Saturday, January 14, 2006

A Patriotic Moment

I'd like to preface this post by saying that I think W. is an idiot. I don't think he's stupid - but I do think he's an idiot, if you make the distinction. So let's say I'm not a fan. But this is something so unlike me that happened a while back that I thought I should share it (I sort of just realized that I hadn't). Several months ago W. was in town here in Tampa. He spoke at NuAir, doing some sort of Rah Rah for small businesses or SOME bullshit like that. What it meant to me was that my entire route to work was LINED with state troopers, some roads were blocked (NuAir is RIGHT down the street from my office) and where the corners and crossing weren't manned by troopers, there were "men in suits" that I assume were Secret Service. Once the motorcade arrived we were TRAPPED in our building essentially for part of that time. The inner office traffic of stuff that goes between our warehouse and our corporate office was halted and no one could do anything of that nature.
Well by the end of the day, I had sort of FORGOTTEN that old W. had been in town. He'd created me sort of a spectacle on the way in to work, and an inconvenice for people who were NOT me during the work day, but mostly by the end of the day it was no big deal. The President is a mile away. Oh yeah? And?
So as I left work that night, probably going through my list of things to pick up at the store, as usual I was listening to airplanes and watching airplanes take off. (My office is situated DIRECTLY between two flight paths and runways at Tampa International). And I see this PLANE.
It was the most beautiful plane I had ever seen. I see tons of planes all day long, I can GLANCE at them and tell you what airline it is. I never saw anything LIKE this plane. It was the most beautiful blue, the the sun made it seemed like it was glowing or something, it was majestic. So of course I was like "man what the hell airline is THAT?" And I strained to read the letters "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" on the side.....I was completely choked up. Oh my god, that's the PRESIDENT! I mean seriously, I hit my NEXTEL for other people to run out to see this thing. Have you ever seen Air Force One? They built the White House to intimidate other people, they wanted a residence that looked imposing and in charge. Whomever painted AIR FORCE ONE had the same design. Don't fuck with us, it says. Check out our bad ass plane, it says. If we have a plane THIS FUCKING COOL can you imagine what else we have? Seriously, I was as excited as I've ever been in a patriotic fashion. Completely unlike me, to be moved to tears, just to see a beautiful blue plane transporting an idiot - don't you think?

9 comments:

Marvin K. Mooney said...

I've been clubbed like a baby seal!

I've been deleted!

Ahhh, what's a conservative to do, other than imagine a vast, left wing conspiracy?

Don't worry Dubya, I still love ya!

I said it before, and I'll say it again, you can park your cowboy boots at my ranch any old time, you sexy thang!

To HAIL with those mindless celebrity worshipers.

yippee kai ay! Now let's git along the trail with Condi and Don and the rest of the Mensa gang...

Gidge said...

I really enjoy the freedom that America provides that allows us to disagree.
That's what the nine members of my family who fought in the Revolutionary War were fighting for.
And while I certainly respect your right to admire and hold in esteem anyone you feel is appropriate, it's unfortunate you don't choose to deem the same respect to me.
Charmed, I'm sure.

Marvin K. Mooney said...

Whoa! people just totally lose their sense of humor when it comes to politics & religion.

Too bad.

And how am I disrespecting you, anyway?

Only you can say with any certainty if you bow down at the altar of PEOPLE magazine or subscribe to the Entertainment Tonight credo.

I thought my original comment was pithier, and wasn't sure if this one would survive.

Anyway, aren't blogs supposed to encourage discussion and sow dissension?

Or is it wreak mayhem and encourage riot?

By the way, my ancestors fought for General Custer.

Gidge said...

I don't really blog to encourage social upheaval or to encourage conversations of subversion. I'm not a big fan of anything that is too far left or too far right.
In short, I don't get into religious discussions or political discussions with people.
So this isn't some lefty commie pinko blog (strangely I miss Archie Bunker sometimes). This is just a person blog. I can be duplicitous in my beliefs, and my convictions change as I and the world change.
It's a post 9/11 world.
And I don't count on People Magazine to tell me what that means.
I wasn't actually aware they still published People or that Entertainment Tonight was stil on the air. Not paying attention at the checkout stand, clearly.
Regardless, I'm sure a boot scoot party with Old W would be a grand time, no one ever accused him of being a bad host.
So maybe someday you'll get your wish.

Edith Bunker said...

Stay away from my man!

And I love George W. too!

Alison said...

I've had similar duplicitous feelings, especially when Jeromy was in the Air Force. There are many things to be proud of in the military, and many things to roll your eyes about too. Sometimes I am a dissenter, sometimes I am a patriot, most of the time I'm just an average girl.

Is marvin k. mooney a real person, anyway? The first comment seemed sarcastic - like maybe it was Gabe in disguse. But the second seemed more sincere and a bit more abusive as well.

Ted Geisel said...

Marvin is a friend of mine.

And I imagine George Bush is delightful, in a Lone Ranger riding the prairie sort of way.

Ya'll have a good day now, y'hear?

Chapstick Feminist said...

Barbara Bush (the older, not the twin) gets my vote, so I guess by proxy George is okay too.

But Barbara is really the one who rocks!

I'd like to have seen her kick Hilary's ass - figuratively speaking - back in the day.

Barbara's got serious CLASS, but she's tough, too.

Yeah, G.W. is doing a pretty good job, and what a thankless task it is.

And for some reason I have no problem imagining Dick Cheney as Tonto. strange but true.

a man's man said...

I don't want to talk about Cheney, I heard there was a naked picture of some guy named Frank on this blog.

so, where's that swinging dick?