Short stack
No place for political vandalism
Political yard signs stolen. A campaign bumper sticker painted over. Tires slashed while the owners attend a rally.
These acts of hostility have been inflicted against people on both sides of the partisan divide. They strike a low blow against American ideals — the freedom to participate in the political process and to express one’s beliefs. The desire to punish someone on account of his or her opinions is inexcusable in this society. Even stealing a cheap yard sign shows complete disrespect for someone else’s beliefs and property.
Emotions are running high this election season. That’s not new. But Americans are supposed to tolerate differences. Otherwise, why even have elections? Just let the side with the most bullies win.
Deny, forget and regret
A North Carolina congressman lowered the level of political discourse even further recently and made his own predicament worse by initially failing to own up to it.
“Liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God,” Republican 8th District Rep. Robin Hayes said, warming up the crowd before John McCain’s rally in Concord.
Then he denied saying it ... until a perfectly clear audio tape was produced by a local radio station. At that point, he claimed he didn’t recall the comment but admitted it came out wrong.
It’s hard to believe that Hayes, a candidate for governor way back in 1996, has been in politics so long without learning to think before speaking.
Uncork the wine at State Fair
North Carolina wine producers are welcome to display their wares at the State Fair, as they should. They’re proud members of the state’s agricultural community.
They can offer limited free samples. Of course! Folks expect to get a taste.
But selling a bottle? That’s not allowed.
Please. Fair officials have a proper concern about visitors’ behavior, but wine lovers who buy a bottle to take home aren’t going to cause trouble. And producers aren’t in business to give away free samples. They might as well stay home if they can’t make sales. Is the N.C. Department of Agriculture interested in promoting the state’s wine industry or not?
Andy and Opie for Obama
Not all “Andy Griffith” fans are going to like the reunion of Opie and Andy in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. And it’s not just going to be John McCain fans who will be displeased.
The retro video was conceived by Ron Howard, who is shown shaving his beard and putting on a red hairpiece and striped shirt to once again become Opie. “I’ve never done this before and I hope never to do it again, but I guess you could say I’m feeling pretty desperate these days,” he says in the video as he transforms himself.
Griffith, who now lives in Manteo, fares better in the short black and white clip than Howard/Opie, who looks like a weird, aged version of his former self, with wrinkles replacing freckles.
Howard fares better in his second incarnation: as Richie Cunningham in “Happy Days.”
Henry Winkler, though, is tops: Once again The Fonz, he almost doesn’t seem to have aged.
Don’t look for this ad on your TV anytime soon. You’ll have to go to www.funnyordie.com to see it.
Reaction, at least in the funnyordie comments sections, is predictably running along partisan lines.
Comments (3)
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Much like Killian implying Palin does porn? Its bad when a republican does it? However its normal when a left wing loon does it?
Posted on October 27, 2008 6:45 AM
Is not incredible that the liberal editorial page editor of this paper simply cannot comprehend, or admit to, the despicable, vile, dishonest, treatment of Sarah Palin, the most popular Governor in the country today, and possibly ever at 80+ percent approval rating, by his guys on the left.
This paper was going apoplectic over the effigy hanging in Alabama, but we've not hear a word, or seen any of the pictures of Palin being hanged in effigy by more his guys. This editor stresses over Obama signs being destroyed, or the truth told by Robin Hayes, but won't show the photo carried by Code Pink that says "we support the killing of American troops!"
I guess Hayes should be required to calling Code Pink, and the many leftist groups just like them that pollute our country, and who hate our country. I guess Bill Ayers is a patriotic American! Maybe to the damaged liberal mind. Patriotism is just another in the long list of terms that most of us have understood for all of our lives, that have been perverted by the left.
Posted on October 28, 2008 3:31 PM
The only shame I see in Robin Hayes retracting his comments, is in the fact he did. He said what he and many others believe as evidenced by their (liberals) actions.
As the age of socialism creeps into this country's society, ushered in by the ilk of the ruling liberals, we will see our nation slowly but most assuredly fall as an economic power.
We will be powerless to the purveyors of energy, who want to destroy our culture and make it theirs. The traditional values of our country will be set aside and those that hold to God, Country and family will be their ilk.
Our media will use the power of the first amendment to propagate their destructive and ill thought out policies. They will continue to promote a society that rewards those who have a sense of entitlement rather that the merits of hard work and perserverence.
We will certainly see the end of prosperity as we know it. Their regimes will take and redistribute all our resources as they see fit in the name of their agenda.
Our goverment is certainly heading to day of unchecked balances and sadly more of what makes liberalism wrong. It is hard to believe, but sadly it is coming to pass.
Fortunately for us, the liberals are most noted for "eating their own" .
Robin Hayes, you do not deserve to represent our state, you lack the fortiitude to stand by what you believe is fact. You too have surcumbed.
Posted on November 1, 2008 9:41 AM