You’re Messing With the Wrong Generation (Quintuple Barf Alert!)

Op Ed News ^ | 3/11/04 | Becky Burgwin

[qam1]

We were born at the end of World War II to a generation that had just won a war against pure evil. We were their hope for a brighter future. The forbearers of a new era. An era of peace and prosperity. An era of fun. We had hula-hoops, silly putty, slinkies and slip 'n slides. We ate Spaghetti-o's, Alphabits, TV dinners and Spam. We watched Ed Sullivan, I Love Lucy, The Flintstones and American Bandstand. We witnessed the first manned space flight and prayed for Apollo 13. We saw a man step onto the moon and suffered through the tragedy of the space shuttle Challenger. We danced the jitterbug, the mashed potato and the twist and listened to Murray the K, Porky Chedwick, and Wolfman Jack. We brought you the Beatles, Motown, Bob Dylan, Sonny & Cher, Rock and Roll, R&B and Woodstock. We inspired movies like Grease, The Graduate, Animal House, and American Graffiti and TV shows like Happy Days, Laugh-In, The Wonder Years and Saturday Night Live. We were there when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and we saw the first black students walk into their federally desegregated college. We heard Martin Luther King say "I have a dream" and then we watched as he was gunned down. We witnessed the murders of JFK, Lee Harvey Oswald, Bobby Kennedy and John Lennon and the premature deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Elvis.

But, through all of this, what stood out most of all, what came into our living rooms night after night right along with Bonanza and The Wonderful World of Disney, was war. A war that was happening half way across the world complete with visions of napalmed children, self-immolating monks and huge helicopters flying over palm trees. We asked our parents what was going on but they didn't have very good answers. We asked our teachers the same question but never got very satisfactory replies. Then as we got older and started demanding to know what you were doing over there, you said, "None of your business. Shut up and register for the draft." It didn't take long before it was us you were sending over there and we were forced to take to the streets shouting, "Hell no, we won't go," and singing, "All we are saying is give peace a chance." We dropped out, grew our hair, dressed, danced, sang, played music, made love, got high and changed all the rules with only one thing in mind… to get your attention and show you that it's possible to end war and live in peace. And when we were done, it was over. We had won. Do you know who we are? We're Greasers, Hoods, Beatniks, Long Hairs, Freaks, Hippies and Yuppies.

Now there's a new war. Well, it's not really new. It's the same old song and dance, really. The same old lies and fabrications. Just history repeating itself thanks to those who, if they ever did learn it, seem to have forgotten. So once again, millions of us all over the world tried to tell you, "Hell no, we won't go," and "Please, please give peace a chance." But you didn't listen. You invaded a country. You destroyed homes, cities, schools, power plants, palaces, museums and hospitals. You killed thousands and thousands of innocent people and hundreds of good kids who were willing to give their lives for their country. And this time, when we asked you why, you told us it was to give them something you call "freedom". But, you see, we don't think the kind of freedom you're talking about is actually real freedom at all. In fact, we don't think the people in that country are feeling anything that even remotely resembles freedom right now. We think they're feeling devastated. We think they're feeling fear and horror. We think they're wondering where their children are and where they're going to sleep tonight and how they're going to get food and water and shelter from the sweltering desert sun. And we're almost positive that if they did this to us, you wouldn't call it freedom. You'd call it terrorism. Oh, and one other thing. A long time ago there were these smart men who, unlike you, cared about our country and its future. And they predicted that people like you would come along and try to use something called a "military-industrial complex" to acquire even more money than you already had. We don't know exactly what that is but it sounds a lot like what you're doing when you give huge, expensive contracts to your friends to re-build things that you actually destroyed.

So here's the thing. We're tired of being lied to over and over, day after day, while the rest of the world looks on in pity and disgust and we'd just like you to know a few things. We think your war stinks. It stinks of lies and greed and murder and stupidity. There's no honor, no truth, no accountability, no remorse. In college we learned that people like you are called sociopaths but we think you're just plain evil. So we just wanted to give you a heads up and let you know…we're baaaaack. That's right. Remember us? The Hippies and the Freaks? Well, we're the Baby Boomers now. And, guess what? We're all grown up and we have money…and not only that, one of us is going to be the next president. So fasten your seat belts kids. It's gonna be a bumpy ride. And any day now you're going to figure out that things aren't as hunky-dory as you thought they were because, as much as you tried to pull the wool over everybody's eyes and get rich quick off your dirty little war, it just ain't gonna happen. Why? Because, plain and simple, you're messing with the wrong generation.

Ms. Burgwin’s writing has appeared in Newsweek, Time, New York Magazine, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Tribune Review as well as several online Op Ed sites. She is also involved in gay rights, women’s issues and the environment. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family

[b9]

Rutabega, keep painting those bikes, if it inspires passion like that. I love you! I bet your folks are proud of you, too.

And your kids will grow up waaaay ahead because their mom stayed home.

Jeez...with all the divisions in our culture, NOW we have a generation war.
I don't classify fellow conservatives by age, and I never EVER related to liberal boomers my own age.

There's the liberal loony left and the responsible repairing right. There's too much work ahead to waste time blaming!!!

Thanks for your great post.

[Howlin]

Quit trying to assign us X'ers as some lost generation that owes EVERYTHING to your PRIVELEGED ASS.

You're the ungrateful one here who is doing the assigning.

And with every bitter post, you prove what everybody thinks about the likes of your "people."

And just so you'll know -- and I'll know that you know -- what I have I EARNED, despite the debts left to ME by the generation that fought WWI and WWII; if you can't succeed, perhaps you should look inward, instead of playing liberal games of "it's not my fault."

[Moose4]

60% of the people on this site are "liberal baby boomers"? Because that's what my first line said.

}:-)4

[Howlin]

As long as you are assigning blame - who made the joystick and who put it in our hands?

YOUR PARENTS, YOU DOPE; if you have MAJOR ISSUES with your parents, which looks more apparent with every single post, take it up with THEM.

[dave k]

Everytime I try and fix it, someone of your ilk comes along and mucks it up.

What line of crap-o-la have I purchased? I beginning to think you're more of an antagonist who'd rather create problems than be part of any constructive solution. Very indicitave of the ME generation....

[dirtboy]

So here's the thing. We're tired of being lied to over and over, day after day

This from someone who, in all likelihood, was an avid Clinton supporter.

[Rutabega]

I don't actually feel guilty about staying home with my kids (bored and frustrated by lack of adult conversation sometimes, but not guilty! LOL).
I guess that after talking to a lot of my girlfriends in their early thirties, we are all sort of PO'd at feminism. We went to college and heard that career, career, career was the way, and then realized that might not be necessarily what was the way for us. Certainly, staying at home with kids can be stifling, and I would hate to go back to a time when it was hard for a gal to get a job (so here's a thanks!) but I just wish the guys in our generation didn't assume we would work, and get annoyed when we let them know staying at home is a better fit for our families.
And before anyone goes there most of my friends are married to pubbies, and wanting your wife to work is pretty widespread amongst them all!
Actually, I spend very little time thinking badly about Boomers. After all, you are a generation that is pretty fun to share a beer with!

[Mo1]

There's the liberal loony left and the responsible repairing right. There's too much work ahead to waste time blaming!!!

I agree

[Charles Martel]

I almost feel sorry for Becky. After all, there's nothing more pathetic than an aging hipster. < /Dr.Evil >

[Howlin]

So do us all a favor okay? After you pull the lever for your hero Kerry in November, eat a bullet.

You are a punk, plain and simple; I don't care WHAT your politics are. You have MAJOR issues and should be banned for that remark.

[Glenn]

I beginning to think

Praise be!

[Rutabega]

Thanks! Can I admit (for fear of letting "my side" down) that I was spray painting in the wind? It's going to be windy in Sweden (we're right by the North Sea and that wind gets CHILL!) for the next few months, so it was pretty much necessary. The fumes, however, did make me feel a little funny (maybe I'll become a hippy, too?) LOL!

[Howlin]

I apologize for jumping you; I misread your post.

[dave k]

YOUR PARENTS, YOU DOPE; if you have MAJOR ISSUES with your parents, which looks more apparent with every single post, take it up with THEM.


No, my parents never put a joystick in my hands.

If you re-read my original post, I thank my parents for my existence. Where do you conclude I have a problem with my parents? I give respect where respect is due, and by the tone of your posts, it is quite apparent you are not deserving of any of my respect.

Not that it would bother you in the least.

[Moose4]

No sweat. I went off half-cocked myself. It just torqued me pretty badly that she kept screaming about "you're messing with the wrong generation" when it's the liberal part *of* that generation that's hellbent on flushing this country down the toilet.

Plus it's Friday, I'm running on five hours sleep, I'm on call at work tomorrow night, and I'm on the Atkins diet while my office is having a pizza party. The combination of factors reduces my tolerance of liberals tremendously. :)

You gotten back up to Lynchburg much lately?

}:-)4

[Howlin]

we are all sort of PO'd at feminism.

Do you think that those of us in what you all are sneeringly referring to on this thread as the "baby boomes" don't feel that exact same way?

How about those of us who actually grew up in the sixties and thought the ONLY choice we had was going to college, getting a teaching degree, and snaring a husband?

At least you had more CHOICES than we did.

And speaking as a mother who lost her only child, don't give another thought to NOT being with your children. Cherish every day of it.

[Howlin]

Because people who blame everybody but themselves for their miserable lives ALWAYS have issues with their parents, no matter HOW many ways or times they say they don't.

As for this remark:

I give respect where respect is due, and by the tone of your posts, it is quite apparent you are not deserving of any of my respect.

don't think for one minute that every parent on this forum isn't glad THEIR children didn't grow up to be just like you.

[Howlin]

Well, at least YOU stayed on topic; I let the trolls on this thread drag me into another directions.......LOL.

And I'm going weekend after next. ACC this weekend; I gave up my tickets for today so I could "get some work done around here" for the people coming this weekend. See how well I'm doing? LOL.

[Rutabega]

Oh, Howlin, I am sorry about your child!

Actually, even though it might make me look defensive, I actually wasn't sneering about Boomers. . .I put lots of disclaimers in! Promise!

[dirtboy]

Just how perfect a liberal is Beckykins? Let's see what pops up with a Google search:

Article posted at DU

Avid Deaniac who hosted Dean house parties and wrote angry op-eds when Dean bit the dust

A member of the Buddhist Society of Pittsburgh Becky Burgwin

A GLBT-friendly realtor committed to the Community (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transexual).

Now THAT's a liberal pedigree.