Welcome to Middleburgh.com and SchoharieCounty.com
Letters & interesting info page:
Brought to you by:
Good Earth's Middleburgh Trading Post
BUY - SELL - TRADE
2084 - Rt. 145, next to the Middleburgh Diner - Just south of Middleburgh
Village -
Look for the handmade
Amish Gazebo's (plenty of parking) Middleburgh, N.Y.
12122.
Open
daily 11am to 5:30pm - Sundays 11am to 4 pm -
CLOSED TUESDAYS
Call
- 518-827-4700 - Fax: 518-827-4621
-
E-Mail
us with questions
UPS SHIPPING - FAX &
COPY SERVICES AVAILABLE MIDDLEBURGH TRADING POST
"IN GOD WE TRUST"
HUMMER TAKEN 5-17-04 MIDDLEBURGH, N.Y.
Choose Peace
Letter-4-27-04
Frank Monaco
PO Box 943
Middleburgh, NY, 12122
I felt very good after reading Marianne Comfort's well written opinion on "Choosing Peace". I was in agreement with just about everything she has suggested. The model of Maori justice championed by Jim Murphy is intriguing and is full of promise for dealing with minor criminal acts. It would be of doubtful benefit, however, when the perpetrator of the crime is remorseless because he/she felt the victim deserved it or just didn't care what anyone thought. Not everyone is fair minded. Nevertheless, it does appear well suited for the types of cases suggested.
Whenever I read "Give Peace a Chance" the same unanswered questions keep coming up," What if your adversary/enemy is not interested in "Peace ?". How do you "Choose Peace" then? There were many who argued that the United States should not enter World War II. After Pearl Harbor was attacked what would have been the peaceful course of choice. How could we " Choose Peace" at that time? For many of us the terrorist attacks of Sept 11th are much more despicable when we think of all the innocent lives that were taken and the horror of how the victims died. Some innocent flight attendants had their throats slashed prior to the crashing of the passenger jets. Mothers and fathers never returned home to their children after that morning. How should we "Choose Peace" with people who take pride in such actions?
Yes, I felt good after reading her opinion but what I felt was an anesthetized sense of delusional denial. The trouble with Ms. Comfort's sentiments, and the peace movement in general, is that they are just ways for us to feel "warm and fuzzy" about ourselves and for us to "take the higher moral ground". If we hide our heads in the sand maybe violence will go away. Most of us would love to live in a peaceful world. That is the ideal. As uncomfortable as it might seem, we must be intellectually responsible enough not lose sight of the fact that there is evil in the world. There are some who want us dead. They have no tolerance for people of other faiths, nor homosexuals, nor women who express their views, nor any dissention whatsoever. They consider our culture, which they refer to as "The Great Satan", a Godless abomination awaiting damnation at their hands. Our wearing a button won't persuade these people otherwise.
Another fault with those who champion peace is that invariably the only obstacle they see to their admittedly admirable goal is either Western civilization or United States of America. Never are people such as Saddam Hussein or Al Queda or the North Korean president considered as having the slightest role in senseless violence. We are always at fault. The next time you see a Taliban fighter or a terrorist remember he really does want you dead especially if you are liberal and tolerant in your values. It might be suggested that those who "Choose Peace" should bring their message of Peace to our enemies instead of a "March on Washington". Has this ever been done? Why not demonstrate in the Holy Land that the Palestinians and Israelis should just "Choose Peace"? The protestors just might accomplish something to make the world a better place…or maybe not.
Unfortunately, once again, not everyone is fair minded nor appreciates "The American Way". Not everyone thinks like you. Sadly, the administration is correct in bringing the battle to the terrorists. The terrorists have a strong understanding of terror even when it is directed toward them. Be mindful the war in Iraq is just one battle to secure a beachhead of sorts in a long war to preserve civilization as we know it. This is not something that we chose but was forced upon us by the attacks of September 11th and our world will never be the same. We can expect more death as long as our enemies see fit. I am afraid American lives and the lives of our coalition allies will be sacrificed so that the "Peaceniks" can go on ranting, wearing buttons, lighting candles and feeling good about themselves while they take the "High Moral Ground". At least they get a chance to vent their frustration with a preference for violence over which they have no control. On my part I am grateful someone is putting themselves in harms way to preserve my freedom. Washington is not the sole source of the world's troubles. Neither is it the solution.Middleburgh's United Methodist Church struck by lightning 5-24-04 click here for photo's
PHOTO 3-14-04
The New Middleburgh library received it's Certificate of Occupancy and is open for business!
WHY OLD GUYS SHOULD BE ABLE TO JOIN THE ARMY (HUMOR)
If I could, I'd enlist today and help
my country track down those responsible for killing thousands of innocent people
in New York City and Washington, DC. But, I'm over 50 now and the Armed Forces
say I'm too old to track down terrorists. You can't be older than 35 to join the
military.
They've got the whole thing backwards. Instead of sending 18-year-olds off to
fight, they ought to take us old guys. You shouldn't be able to join until
you're at least 35.
For starters: Researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every 10 seconds.
Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a day, leaving us more than
28,000 additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy.
Young guys haven't lived long enough to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a
dangerous soldier.
If we can't kill the enemy we'll complain them into submission. "My back hurts!"
"I'm hungry!" "Where's the remote control?"
An 18-year-old hasn't had a legal beer yet and you shouldn't go to war until
you're at least old enough to legally drink. An average old guy, on the other
hand, has consumed 126,000 gallons of beer by the time he's 35 and a jaunt
through the desert heat with a backpack and M-60 would do wonders for the old
beer belly.
An 18-year-old doesn't like to get up before 10 a.m. Old guys get up early (to
pee).
If old guys are captured, we couldn't spill the beans because we'd probably
forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real
brainteaser.
Boot camp would actually be easier for old guys. We're used to getting screamed
and yelled at and we actually like soft food. We've also developed a deep
appreciation for guns and rifles. We like them almost better than naps.
They could lighten up on the obstacle course, however. I've been in combat and
didn't see a single 20-foot wall with rope hanging over the side, nor did I ever
do any pushups after training. I can hear the Drill Sergeant now, "Get down and
give me...er... uhmm... uuhh... One."
The running part is kind of a waste of energy. I've never seen anyone outrun a
bullet.
An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him. He's still learning to shave,
to actually carry on a conversation, to wear pants without the top of the butt
crack showing and the boxer shorts sticking out, to learn that a pierced tongue
catches food particles, and that a 200-watt speaker in the back seat of a Honda
Accord can rupture an eardrum.
All great reasons to keep our sons at home and to learn a little more about life
before sending them off to a possible death.
Let us old guys track down those dirty rotten cowards who attacked our hearts on
September 11. The last thing the enemy would want to see right now is a couple
of million old farts with attitudes.
"THANKS TO ANDY"
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY
GOOD EARTH'S MIDDLEBURGH TRADING POST
YOUR OWN PERSONALIZED DEALER ON THE NET
www.Dollsale.com and WWW.MIDDLEBURGH.COM
"Good Earth" 20 Years in Middleburgh
"Good Earth" Our Word is Our Bond
Good Service Down to Earth Prices
(SUPPORT THE BURGH)