Ben Stein: Scared at 60

The American Spectator ^ | 3/1/2005 | Ben Stein

[Former Military Chick]

Another great article from the GREAT ONE!! Enjoy.

[Former Military Chick]

Ben Stein **PING**

[GeronL]

The muslims have been on a crusade for a long time and people are barely waking up to this. The old 'Crusades' we read about in history were battles with Muslims, Christopher Columbus wanted to find a new route to the east because Muslims had taken over the old spice routes and were demanding tolls and stealing and killing traders.

History repeats itself.

[willyboyishere]

Ben goes from being warm and fuzzy, to warm, fuzzy and scared. I no longer pay much attention to him. Though I guess his middle-aged inertia is appealing to a lot of people his age, and his temperament.

[stainlessbanner]

Great read - sobering. Can you add me to the BS (snicker) ping list?

[hatfieldmccoy]

Yo Ben,

This is from a long haired redneck. If I'm gonna get my ticket punched by some sheet headed Islamist then I would want it to be when I'm doing something I enjoy. A Chiefs game, a plane to Chicago to visit my family, the College World Series in Omaha. Bring it, but diaperheads we won't go quietly

[Yaelle]

He is spoiling his little rich son. His son is probably smoking pot and doing chicks. Why does he let him have so much freedom? They partied all night and trashed his beach house and all Stein cares about is that his son didn't apologize, and was rude to him?

Why doesn't he take away the kid's car and tell him he won't pay for college if the kid doesn't shape up?

[Choose Ye This Day]

Hmmm. Quite the downer of an article. I don't think I'd take a liberal CBS reporter's version of events in Iraq and Afghanistan as the gospel truth.

And Ben needs to grow a parenting backbone. All this guano about "being friends" with "Tommy" has led to "Tommy's" spoiled brat behavior.

He's 17. I think he can be called "Tom" now.

[Lovergirl]

Pingeth!

[taxesareforever]

h. Above all, to have learned to love and worship a God of love and understanding.

I can understand those who don't have faith in God using the term "lucky" but I just cannot understand why people of faith have such a hard time saying "blessed" when it comes to how God has "blessed" them. As an example, here is what Ben says, 3. "I am a supremely lucky person,...". It's almost as if they mean that God rolled the dice and they came out a winner.

[Richard Kimball]

Thanks for the ping, and your pleasant presence on FR.

[Former Military Chick]

What a nice thing to say, thank you. You made me smile and with beloved overseas right now it is at times tough to smile.

[Former Military Chick]

Glad to do add you to the list.

[Sarah]

Note to Ben,
Here's the thing, YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE YOUR SON CLEAN UP THE MESS!

That'll be $100.00 please,

Sarah

[Former Military Chick]

Wow tough words. For one, I think Tommy should have fessed up and his father deserves at least that much from his son.

I do not know if he is doing girls or anything of the like. He is a teen though and I recall my teen age years.

My father bought me a 69 Cougar. It was to die for. It had a 351 Cleveland and kicked butt. My Mom owns a 1976 280Z and one weekend I was meeting my folks in Leesburg and actually caught up with them and Mom and I raced and lets just say she was in my dust. My parents should have known better.

Perhaps he should have addressed the punishment but nobody is perfect.

To not pay for college is a bit extreme at least in my opinion.

Tommy attends boarding school and I doubt has a car so taking it might not make a difference in the long run.

Thanks for the comment.

[FreedomSurge]

I thought Stein was smart. How can't he understand that the CBS chick is a simple propagandist and was playing him.

[Billthedrill]

Oh, my, somebody isn't taking his 60th very well. Stein turns out to be a neighbor of sorts although I've never met him. I've been following his stuff in the American Spectator for some years now, and have watched little Tommy grow up into the spoiled brat that was inevitable from about age 6. A WRX at 17? Well, whatever.

I doubt that his depression concerning the Middle East has continued given the events of the last couple of weeks. His friend Lara need not worry about her kids wearing burqa, courtesy of that dumb cowboy who can never get anything right, George W. Bush. Nor is Tommy likely to have to put his front sight on center mass of an armed jihadist, which is a pity in a way, because a uniform and overcoming cold fear in your gut makes up for many an adolescent shortcoming. For some of us it's about the only cure for affluence.

Thanksgiving was a rough period in Iraq, and if this seems a bit depressed it's probably that and Stein's contemplation of beginning his seventh decade. It's only a number, Ben, just the superstition of an even number. If the good Lord had given us an extra finger on each hand we'd be counting in base 12 and it wouldn't mean diddly.

[Iwo Jima]

Tommy is a spoiled brat and as been all his life. But he may also be angry that his father writes about every aspect of his life. I would not even write about my children's misdeeds in such detail on FreeRepublic, and no one knows or care who I am or who my children are.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I like Stein but that article is really disturbing. His son is going to end up wrapped around a telephone pole. If the kid drives like that when his dad is next to him, imagine what he does on his own.

I don't want Stein's son killing himself...or my son.

Ben -- get up from the pool and pay attention. Your son should occupy MORE of your head, not less.

[dennisw]

bttttt