Month: November 2023

Weekly Comments: Freeing Kidnapped Hostages. Protests for Hamas. Millennials Want How Much??

#1183, Nov. 26, 2023

President Biden is happy that the Hamas terrorists are releasing 50 hostages, traded for 150 Palestinian prisoners who attempted to murder Israelis. One American, 4-year-old Abigail Idan, was released today and the President was pleased she could be reunited with her family. It’s sad that he didn’t remember Hamas murdered her Mom and Dad on October 7.

Does Thailand have more clout than the United States? While we seem to be negotiating through Qatar, a key ally and financial supporter of Hamas, the Thai government went directly to Iran and demanded all of their citizens be released. Why doesn’t President Biden demand that Iran order Hamas to immediately deliver ALL kidnapped hostages? We have enough military within easy striking distance of Iran; just let the Ayatollah ponder his future.

Is the Hamas terrorist organization winning the propaganda war? Ignorant protesters continue to rally support for Hamas and hatred for Israel and Jews everywhere. Protesters may think they are generating good will for Palestinians. But they won’t sway anyone with common sense. The young American women protesting have no idea how they would be treated in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Who is paying all these young protesters and their leaders? Paying their transportation and providing their disgusting signs? George Soros has given these groups millions of dollars. Does Iran also contribute millions? I’m sure the protesters are not donating their time.

We just finished a week in America of wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving. For a lot of young folks, it’s going to take a lot more than “wishing” to make them happy. According to a recent survey by The Harris Poll, our Millennials (age 27-42) claim they need a $525,000 salary to be happy. Yes, a half a million a year. Do they realize how hard most people in that salary range work? Definitely not 9 to 5, for 4 days a week, with 2 months’ vacation. Most millennials say they are glad to spend $7 for a cup of coffee every morning ‘because of the joy it brings.’

In the same Harris Poll, old folks said $124,000 a year is plenty. Perhaps because we know how to brew our own coffee from a can of Maxwell House.

Historic quote by Will Rogers:

“In the days of [our] founders they were willing to give thanks for mighty little, for mighty little was all they expected. But now neither government or nature can give enough but what we think it’s too little. Those old boys in the Fall of the year, if they could gather in a few pumpkins, potatoes and some corn for the winter, they was in a thanking mood. But if we can’t gather in a new Buick, a new radio, a tuxedo and some government relief, why we feel like the world is agin’ us.” DT #2594, Nov. 28, 1934

Let’s spend this week, or at least one day, concentrating on gratitude; being thankful.

The first Thanksgiving was a celebration by the Puritans and the Wampanoag. The surviving Puritans (Pilgrims) had grown enough corn and other crops, with advice and help from the native “Indians,” to get them through another year in Massachusetts. The main course for their celebration was deer meat (venison), not turkey.

So, Thanksgiving is based in agriculture. Thanksgiving is a time for us to celebrate a bountiful harvest. We are so efficient in this country that 2 percent of us on farms and ranches produce enough food for the other 98 percent.

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for our blessings, and look ahead to a brighter future.

Be thankful that we have a Constitution with a Bill of Rights that has allowed this country to endure more than 200 years. We’re thankful, most of us, for the Ten Commandments, even if we don’t follow all of them all the time.

We’re thankful that President Biden will celebrate his 81st birthday tomorrow. As Neil Cavuto, Fox Business News, joked, “81 is the new 80.”

We’re thankful for President Jimmy Carter who is grieving tonight. Rosalyn Carter, his wife of 77 years, passed away today at age 96. They were an amazing couple, almost their entire lives, starting and ending in Plains, Georgia. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished.” From a man who is acknowledged as the best former president this country ever had, that is high praise.

I’m thankful for my faithful readers and a country where I can write opinions with no concern of being thrown in jail. Will Rogers wrote syndicated newspaper columns from 1922 to 1935, and I’ve written my Weekly Comments since 1997. I’m thankful to have good health and energy to continue speaking and writing, playing a small role in keeping alive the legend of Will Rogers.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The more turkey you eat at dinner the less hash you will be bothered with the rest of the month.” DT #92, Nov. 24, 1926

“Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. [President] Coolidge asked us to thank the Lord, but to kinder hint to Him also that we are aware that a Republican Administration had assisted Him in providing this plentiful bounty.” DT #729, Nov. 27, 1928

“If I run for something, this would be my platform: No part of any turkey served later than Sunday night after Thanksgiving.” DT #1972, Nov. 29, 1932

Is it possible for students to get “dumber” after entering college? Everybody knows that a high school student has to be super smart to get accepted to Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, MIT and many other elite universities. So, after 2 or 3 years of paying up to $75,000 a year for a superb education on a prestigious campus, how could their brains disintegrate so far they could not qualify for a local Junior College?

Millions of students and other people worldwide support Hamas and keep chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

Let’s suppose they got their wish. Israel is forced to accept defeat because Iran keeps sending billions of oil dollars to fund Hamas and Hezbollah. Every Jew in the new country of Palestine moves out.

Of course, that won’t happen. But if it did, what would be the result? First, they would destroy every Israeli-built factory, business, and farm. And every synagogue and historic location connected to Jesus and Christians.

With that destruction finished and 90 percent of Palestinians living a 7th Century lifestyle, how long do you think they would live in peace? You don’t have to be a foreign affairs expert to know that within months in their new, free, independent country, the surviving Hamas fighters would find a reason to attack somebody. For practice, they might fire rockets into Jordan, and Egypt.

But the real target of these radical Palestinians would be the United States and Europe. The millions of pro-Palestinian protesters should not assume that only Jews would be hunted down. No, as demonstrated on October 7, anyone of any religion or race would be slaughtered.

For the safety of all college students (and the rest of us), any student siding with Hamas should be expelled from college. And if they are a foreign student, they need to be deported. Many student protesters are so stupid they could be duped into carrying a bomb into a classroom or dorm and blowing up the building.

As I said above, Israel will not disappear as a country. Despite widespread demands for a one-sided “ceasefire,” they will not give up the battle to wipe out Hamas. Even if the protesters and several world leaders have forgotten, Hamas killed about 1400 civilians in Israel and are holding over 200 hostages in Gaza.

China’s Chairman, Xi Jinping, is coming to San Francisco on Wednesday to meet President Biden. I guess Xi chose San Francisco because Governor Newsom was so complimentary of him during a recent visit to China. Because of this high-level international meeting, the governor is clearing out the thousands of homeless people living in squalor on downtown sidewalks. (I guess he is busing them to Oakland.) All of the ramshackle tents, drug paraphernalia and human waste are being cleaned out to make the city look spotless.

Residents of the San Francisco Bay area wonder why it takes a visit from a Chinese Communist Dictator to knock some common sense into Governor Newsom’s head. They are hoping against hope that the spotless downtown area is not allowed to get messed up again.

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced he will not run for reelection next year. He didn’t admit it, but the real reason is because he would be soundly defeated by Governor Jim Justice. Pundits are speculating he will run for President as a third-party candidate. Several years ago, when Manchin was more popular nationally, I suggested he could be elected President, but only if he became a Republican. Manchin is 76 years old so his political career is probably ending. Biden and most other Democrats do not like him. Oddly, his only hope is for former President Trump to win next year and name him Secretary of Energy.

By the way, I had a great weekend celebrating Will Rogers’ birthday in Claremore. Enjoyed Will’s favorite dessert at Hammett House, cherry pie with ice cream.

Historic quotes by Will Rogers:

“Everybody is ignorant only on different subjects.” WA #90, Aug. 31, 1924

“They are pretty bad, these big wars over Commerce… But one over religion is really the most bitter.” WA #350, Sept. 8, 1929

“When a Los Angeles guy comes up here to San Francisco, it’s just a country boy going to town. You have to take your spurs off here. You can’t explain Frisco.” DT #1827, June 1, 1932