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To: 2ndDivisionVet
And America? America is just as divided: by race, by class, by generation.

And the Democrats LOVE it that way!

6 posted on 05/09/2012 9:05:52 PM PDT by Clock King (Ellisworth Toohey was right: My head's gonna explode.)
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To: Clock King; 2ndDivisionVet
And America? America is just as divided: by race, by class, by generation.

And that's why it's good for people to study history, visit other countries, and discover that, for all of its faults, the United States is one of the least racist countries on the face of the earth, has one of the least restrictive social structures anywhere on earth or in history, where "class" is only a synonym for "having relatively more or less money than others" rather than any actual structure in law designed to keep people in the station into which they were born. As far as division by generation is concerned, people have been bitching since time immemorial about the dissolution of the younger generation (or about the older generation not understanding them):
"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint."
--Hesiod, 8th century BC

"What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"

"Our youth have an insatiable desire for wealth; they have bad manners and atrocious customs regarding dressing and their hair and what garments or shoes they wear."
--Plato, 5th century BC

"Our young men have grown slothful. There is not a single honourable occupation for which they will toil night and day. They sing and dance and grow effeminate and curl their hair and learn womanish tricks of speech; They are as languid as women and deck themselves out with unbecoming ornaments. Without strength, without energy, they add nothing during life to the gifts with which they were born - then they complain of their lot."
--Seneca, 1st century AD

"The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence [respect] for their parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint; They talk as if they alone know everything and what passes for wisdom in us foolishness in them. As for the girls, they are foolish and immodest and unwomanly in speech, behaviour and dress."
--Peter the Hermit, 11th century AD

"The world is passing through troublesome times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint; they talk as if they alone know everything...."
--Matthew Paris, 13th Century AD
Last and, by comparison, pretty much least:
People try to put us d down (talkin' bout' my generation)
Just because we g g get around (talkin' bout' my generation)
Things they do look awful c c cold (talkin' bout' my generation)
Hope I die before I get old (talkin bout my generation)

Why don't you all fade away (talkin bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s s say (talkin bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big sensation (talkin bout my generation)
Just talkin 'bout my generation (talkin bout my generation)
--Pete Townshend, The Who, 1965, age 20 (could explain his rudimentary command of language and oil slick depth of insight)

16 posted on 05/09/2012 10:32:33 PM PDT by aruanan
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