Comments by Bobby Tony | Eastern NC Now

For some reason this whole affair has gotten under my skin. I am at a loss on why we are converting this into a tolerance debate instead of a reasoned look at solutions and indicators based on fact.

We have close to a hundred people dead and wounded and we are still arguing about personal peccadilloes, nuance and broadmindedness. I guess it is true that the Liberal mentality is so broadminded they will not even take their own side in a debate.

There may be a Part III stuck in my craw.

Commented: Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 @ 8:21 am By: Bobby Tony

At the risk of appearing to argue with myself, I offer this alternative view of Muhammad Ali. A converted Muslim woman posts it and you may need to pay close attention to understand. I suggest you turn on Close Captioned (CC) on the screen or click on the more button and click transcript.

Her explanation of Islam adds some depth and perspective to current events outside of the Ali conversion and subsequent actions. Humans have always demonstrated that religion can be subverted to secular purposes.

"I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but this is what I think. I never liked Muhammad Ali because he converted to a religion of slavery and he took a slave masters name."


beaufortcountynow.com

Commented: Wednesday, June 8th, 2016 @ 8:12 am By: Bobby Tony

Can Trump Keep My vote
It may be best for me to refrain from watching news shows and just bury my head in the sand hoping I can ignore the excesses of both sides in this election.

We are fast approaching the conclusion of the primaries for both parties. The two conventions will select the final nominees. Most people may have made up their minds and those who have not apparently have not been paying attention. I am no different than most. I have made up my mind for now. I will probably be a Trump voter. The biggest question now for me is, How long can I continue with this conclusion in face of the evidence that my choice is based on a total rejection of the other candidate rather than a confident belief in my choice. It is clear to me that Donald Trump does not have the temperament or character that I normally would require in a President. This will not be my first lessor of two evils elections but it will be the first where I have complete disdain for both candidates and only a sliver of hope for our society.

I have never looked for a savior in my choice or presidents. My last fully engaged support for a president was for Ronald Reagan based on a shared philosophy. Unfortunately, the gipper could not turn the ship around from its big government course in spite of his vaunted skills as "The Great Communicator." He had the greatest landslide in our history but could not overcome the entrenched elitist that we have seen fit to keep in office. I am tempted to say we are at a crossroad but that is an obvious cliché since every election is a crossroad including the most local county commissioner all the way up to the presidential election.

Donald has two great challenges in my mind.

First is his need to attract those voters who are upset with our current system but only put a limited amount of effort out to learn the issues at stake. If the country is divided along hard drawn lines at 45% / 45%, then both candidates need to sway the remaining 10%.

Second, Donald has to find a way to keep my personal vote and those like me. He is dangerously close to losing that. He has attracted a very loyal following which in and of itself concerns me about the character of our country.. I sometimes wonder if this is just a show for his own ego. I have used the argument that he is a better choice than Hillary and we should not vote based on visceral emotion. If it were not so important, it would be an interesting drama to watch "The Apprentice" work his magic. But since I never watched that show, I only know the tag line.

Donald You're Fired.

I hope I don't have to use it.

Commented: Tuesday, June 7th, 2016 @ 6:03 am By: Bobby Tony

"These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc." Thanks again for the written words.

It always brings a tear to my eyes and I always review the video of Ronald Reagan's speech at this link from his 1984 speech.

beaufortcountynow.com

Commented: Monday, June 6th, 2016 @ 2:10 pm By: Bobby Tony

The only purpose of the Ali 03 would be to document the discussion in a post instead of a comment so that it can be searched on Stan's outstanding site. Comments get lost in the weeds eventually. My dad had a saying about throwing rocks in the house. He said it was a bit different from throwing stones in a glass house. The rocks would bounce back and knock you on your a$$ so you should be careful how big and how fast the rocks were.

Stan, I agree the honorable thing to do is follow your core beliefs and I completely understand why there can be a difference of opinion on that.

I am not submitting Muhammad Ali for Sainthood; I do not believe that exist on this planet with the exception of my Mother and Jesus. I am just trying to make the point that personal convictions are just important as manmade laws. It is not a matter of playing the odds. If it were, it still would not make sense. Your bet stake is just being wrong versus eternity.

Here is Ali on the subject: Feel free to disagree with him. That is the point!
beaufortcountynow.com

Somebody get the Hook, Bobby Tony is off on a tangent roll.

Commented: Monday, June 6th, 2016 @ 10:32 am By: Bobby Tony

All legally as best as I know, except Bush who served in the National Guard, which is just as honorable as any other service.

Our discussion continued for quite some time and I left out many of our mutual points, but I might as well let it fly in the comment section.

My not too subtle point was that anyone who had a student deferment or chose to join a different service to avoid being drafted used the established legal system to their advantage. I see no difference with any of that. Standing on your principals requires you to understand the consequences and be prepared to live with them. I may be in a small minority who does not feel that doing our duty when called is not necessarily a heroic choice but just a matter of principal. I have often thought how I would feel today, if I had not flunked out of college and was never drafted due to some fluke of luck or timing. It is not important what I think I "WOULD" do, it is only important on what I "DID" do. The rest is just talk.

My friend Clay joined the National Guard and he had no political connections but happen to hit it lucky when he applied because of an open slot. Two other friends joined the Army and one went to Panama in the infantry and never made it to Nam. The other went to Germany and had a ball traveling all over Europe. I hold their choices in high esteem.

Going to Canada or going underground is a different matter. To my knowledge, no one was forcibly drafted and sent to Vietnam under shackles. There was always a choice to be made. At some point in the process regardless of which service or which method chosen, you had to personally affirm by stepping forward that you were submitting to the legal requirement. Failure to do so like Ali, had it's consequences which he was prepared to take. Yogi said when you come to a fork in the road, take it.

My problem is with those who chose to exercise a non-legal method to avoid or refused to stand up and pay the price for their stance. There is a whole generation of baby boomers who did not serve but also never took any proactive action to avoid. I think I would call that the luck of the "'DRAFT."

Having made a choice however there is a sweetness in surviving:

“You've never lived until you've almost died. For those who have fought for it, life has a flavor the protected shall never know.”
― Guy de Maupassant

A quote from John McCain and Mark Slater’s book “Hard Calls”, sums up the soldiers duty better than any I have ever read. It expresses what I suspect help sustain him during his stay at the Hanoi Hilton.
“In the immediacy, chaos, destruction, and shock of war, soldiers are bound by duty and military discipline to endure and overcome. Their strongest loyalty, the bond that cannot break, is to the cause that is theirs alone, the cause for which they all fight: one another. It is through their loyalty to comrades in arms, their exclusive privilege, that they serve the national ideal that begat their personal transformation. When war is over, they might have the largest but not exclusive claim on the success of their nation's cause. But their claim is shorn of all romance, all nostalgia for the crucible in which it was won. From that crucible they have but one prize, one honor, one glory: that they had withstood the savagery and losses of war and were found worthy by the men who stood with them.”

Being found worth by your comrades is enough thanks.

Commented: Monday, June 6th, 2016 @ 9:36 am By: Bobby Tony

There has been some controversy over Ali in death just as there was in life. One of my best friends believes that Ali was a draft dodger and coward. We had a good animated discussion over it.

That may be a subject for another article instead of a comment . See below for the follow article.

beaufortcountynow.com

Commented: Sunday, June 5th, 2016 @ 6:37 am By: Bobby Tony

Thanks for the insight, Diane. It is interesting that you should point out that we have not always been on the right side of our own stated founding principles. We created governments to provide protection of the populace's individual rights. Other countries created government different reasons not based on the our founding principles. The wishes and whims of the rulers formed the basis of authority. As far as I can tell, we have the only government formed on stated principles that we did not adhere to at its formation. Since our government is a reflection of our electoral process, the compromises made by the founding fathers were at best necessary to achieve the cohesion necessary for the formation of a governing body. But they knew we were not perfect as individuals or as a republican form of government.

As you have pointed out, the fallacies of our history are the same fallacies of human nature. Our treatment of the native Indians did not rise to our lofty goals. Our mutual acceptance of slavery as an institution is another example. Both sides of the Mason Dixon line participated in the practice or benign acceptance of slavery for their own benefit.

Your argument about our beloved President Lincoln is on point. His stated goal was to preserve the union and not the abolition of slavery. However, if the Emancipation Proclamation furthered his goals, so be it. Our system, of course was designed to be somewhat self-correcting and if that were not possible, a course of action was laid out in our basic principles. I repeat again your reference to the D-of-I:

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness."

One way to get a southerner upset is to appear denigrate his ancestors who fought on the southern side of the Civil War. A reasoned discussion is most difficult when the natural defense mechanism assert itself. Stating reality and historical fact is most difficult and as you point out the winner interprets the facts. Like most humans, when the emotion enters the equation, common sense and intellectually honesty leave. Fortunately, as time subsides and a non-emotional review evolves the truth will become apparent to future generations.

Our recent history has shown the tendency to bypass the constitutional requirements necessary before committing military force in anything other than self-defense. While I might disagree with Todd Bennett about our "DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY" for ISIS, it is apparent to me that we created an environment where they could flourish.

Your summary however, is on track when you add:

"But I just wanted to point out, even if briefly, for intellectual honesty, that there were times when it represented a nation that could have done better."

Thanks again for the reminder.

Commented: Tuesday, May 31st, 2016 @ 9:11 am By: Bobby Tony

The connection to Memorial Day and Gone with the Wind is based on historical fact. Here is an excerpt from the Saving Tara site: It is history as well as a humorous story about the Battle of Atlanta and how the birth of a baby altered the artillery fire for a short time. Apparently it was a time of Chivalry on both sides of the Mason Dixon line.

"In 1868, former Union General John A. (Black Jack) Logan, then commander of the fraternal organization for northern veterans of the War, called the Grand Army of the Republic official proclaimed, The 30th day of May, 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit”.

savingtara.com

Commented: Friday, May 27th, 2016 @ 9:08 am By: Bobby Tony

Thanks Stan, but this old man spends way too much time now in the emotional past. I guess it is "payback" for the many years of denial and refusal to embrace the tender side of life. In addition, I am not just talking about war and trauma. I am referring to the thoughtless and inconsiderate actions that we all make during life.

I made a decision a few years ago that I did not want to carry those demons with me to the grave and it has opened up a different door for me. When they close the symbolic lid, I do not want to share the space with those demons anymore.

Perhaps some will say that it is just a part of the aging process, but I see it as a part of the growing up process and there is a difference in the two. As a Baptist preacher may say that it is the tortured soul of a sinner looking for repentance, but us Baptists have always used the club to bludgeon sinners when it was just as easy to use the rudder to make course corrections. Knowing how to be a believer is the easy part, living it is what my brother Ken has done most of his life. I'm still in training.

Commented: Thursday, May 26th, 2016 @ 11:01 am By: Bobby Tony

Here is a two-minute clip of medic KB. Ken has dedicated his after Vietnam life to making contact with as many of our Band of Brothers and continuing to offer healing on an emotional level even as he suffers from the after affects of his own service. I will note again that I did not know Ken in Vietnam even though we served in the same unit and did not make contact until 40-plus years later while I was trying to locate my medic TB discussed above. His example has been an inspiration to me in times of doubt. Truly John 14:3 is true for Doc KB and us if we choose to follow our savior.

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

If you do nothing, more this holiday week watch this video and remember the sacrifices made by others for our benefit.

Ken is the hero in the Blue shirt. The audio is poor but I encourage you to listen carefully. the Video link is below:

beaufortcountynow.com

Commented: Thursday, May 26th, 2016 @ 5:28 am By: Bobby Tony

Breaking gender barriers is nothing new for Shirley Muldowney. She has been doing it all her life. At the rate we are going now they will have to remove all gender references in this woman's life story. She is fighting lung cancer at Charlotte hospital. Thanks to BCN headline banner for highlighting this.

www.foxnews.com

Commented: Wednesday, May 25th, 2016 @ 9:40 am By: Bobby Tony

I can help you with that Remember Great Quote and slogan problem.

"Early to bed, Early to Rise, Work like Hell, ADVERTISE!!!"

beaufortcountynow.com

Commented: Monday, May 23rd, 2016 @ 7:26 am By: Bobby Tony

I was highly offended by this article. Nobody wears pink lipstick anymore . At least "Mx" waited until after Easter to wear white.

Commented: Sunday, May 22nd, 2016 @ 3:52 pm By: Bobby Tony

What is this some kind of new concept? Men giving women directions. It will never work.

Commented: Tuesday, May 17th, 2016 @ 6:00 pm By: Bobby Tony

I used to be a nice guy before that Bobby Tony guy showed up. Sarcasm is contaigous.

Commented: Friday, May 13th, 2016 @ 12:48 pm By: Bobby Tony

Dropping the beer allowed me to drop 40 pounds and blood pressure medicine without any other changed in lifestyle, except the possible exception of a modification to my comedy routine.

Commented: Friday, May 13th, 2016 @ 11:41 am By: Bobby Tony