Unprincipled Freeloaders

Over the years I’ve felt a great deal of frustration at the goings-on of our government.  I paid many thousands of dollars a year in taxes, yet it often seemed that my voice was not being represented.  In fact, my viewpoint was often the subject of ridicule among the chattering classes who felt that they knew better than me how to spend my money and run my life.  I know that many other people also feel this way, as evidenced by the explosion of talk radio and libertarian and conservative weblogs.

But despite my anger at being ignored and marginalized, I never lashed out at anyone or became violent, and neither did my fellow travellers on this road.  At our hearts, we’re law-abiding and orderly folk and would prefer to live without making a lot of waves (which, not so coincidentally, is why we fight so hard against what we consider to be bad legislation).

Why am I bringing this up?  Well, the anti-war crowd seems to be very frustrated at losing the debate over this war.  Rather than suck it up and work through legitimate channels, they are engaging in destructive and violent behavior (exactly the kind of thing they accuse us of at every chance they get). 

What really ticks me off about this crowd is that the rest of us are having to pay for their tantrums through our taxes (and insurance).  Worse still are those college students who are wasting our money by walking out and disrupting classes.  If I’m going to be forced to pay for their damn education, then they can at least do me the courtesy of being grateful for that education by taking advantage of the chance they’ve been given.  If they’re so unhappy with America, then they can give up their slot to someone else who deserves it.  After all, why take money from someone you hate?

2 Comments

  1. Fuz says:

    Someone suggested that anyone subsidized by Uncle Sugar in any form would be asked to sign a Certificate of Gratitude.  This would merely make the point to recipients that they’re lucky to receive it and ought to be thankful. 

    Google can’t find it for me—-yet. 

    Imagine the likes of Rachel Corrie being presented, let alone signing, a Certificate of Gratitude for her share of the Fed funds for her college tuition.  It’s safe to assume she was a college student at one time or another.

  2. That’s an interesting idea, although I can hear the aggrieved cries from the entitlement crowd that we’re being insensitive by asking for gratitude.  After all, they “earned” the right to our help simply by drawing breath.