Debating your Grandma!

[roxxstar]

So I got to work early this morning (been working OT for a few weeks straight now) and received the following email forwarded by my Grandmother. I found it pretty humorous, so I thought I would post it on here (as well as my response). Maybe it will stimulate some robust conversation and help me get through this 12 hour shift. The question is should one debate thy grandmother? Even a little bit?



Email she forwarded:

CBS DIDN'T STOP HIM...THIS IS GREAT! Andy is to old to
be President. Does he have a child who thinks like him??
Good for him!!!
Surprised CBS let him get away with this even though he's right

Right on, Andy Rooney !

Andy Rooney said on '60 Minutes' a few weeks back:

I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except
numbers.. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory
are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black
Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things
like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White
Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what
happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.
Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You
can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to
ban you from driving to the ball game.
I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, which is why
there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU
LISTENING MARTHA BURKE ?
I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it
is an opinion.
I have the right 'NOT' to be tolerant of others because they are
different, weird, or tick me off.
When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70%
of the population is black, that is not racial profiling; it is the Law
of Probability.
I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes,
a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of
fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak
English!

My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the
countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.
I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten
them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word
'freeze' or 'stop' in English, see the above lines.
I don't think just because you were not born In this country, you are
qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans
or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket
store, or any other business.
We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our
lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could
come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and
open to their interpretations.
I don't hate the rich; I don't pity the poor
I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That
doesn't stop you from watching them.
I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and
continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next
operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.
It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does
take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds
when necessary, and say 'NO!'
I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please
don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home
until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly
infected mouth as you serve me French fries!
I am sick of 'Political Correctness.' I know a lot of black people, and
not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be
'African-Americans'? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around
saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great,
great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America
and nowhere else
And if you don't like my point of view, tough....

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA , AND
TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE,
WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!
I was asked to send this on if I agree or delete if I don't. It is
said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore I have a very hard
time understanding why there is such a problem in having 'In God We
Trust' on our money and having 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why
don't we just tell the 14% to BE QUIET!!!

If you agree, pass this on, if not delete.....


My response:


From: Earley, Kyle
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 7:59 AM
To: 'Carolyn Woods'
Subject: RE: CBS DIDN'T STOP HIM...THIS IS GREAT!

Hello Grandma,

I, personally, will not be forwarding this email. I think I'm going to go with the "delete it" option. I pretty much disagree with everything that was said in there. I find it especially amusing when he said:

"My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the
countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.
I think the police should have every right to shoot you if you threaten
them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word
'freeze' or 'stop' in English, see the above lines"

Maybe I'm misreading this, but it sounds to me like he is condoning police shooting people who can't speak English. And didn't our ancestors leave the countries that they were born in to come to America? Isn't that how America, as we know it, was founded?

Anyway, if you weren't my Grandma I would reply to this and break down everything that was said and explain why I think it's a load of poo. But who wants to debate their grandma? LOL

I do agree with one thing he said though:

"I have the right 'NOT' to be tolerant of others because they are
different, weird, or tick me off."

True, but other people also have the right to disagree with your beliefs. So be prepared to defend your stance if you are going to make a "proclamation" like this. Intolerance will only divide this world. Love and acceptance, on the other hand, can unite it.

With that I will get off of my soapbox. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one. ;D

Love you Grandma. Can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving! Take care.

[MoHawk]

Debate or not...if I ever used the word "asshole" in front of either of my grandmothers, I'd be led, by my ear more than likely, straight to the bathroom and have my mouth washed out with soap.

And yes, I just turned 30.

[isu is shit]

Well Kyle, there goes your Christmas presents from Grandma

[roxxstar]

Your G-Ma must be a little more old school then mine. Curse words are not a problem at my family functions. Especially once the beers start flowing.

[roxxstar]

Nov 13, 2008 8:35:23 GMT -6 isu is shit said:

Well Kyle, there goes your Christmas presents from Grandma

I know. It's lame. I was hoping for the "Red Raider" BB gun or whatever the hell that toy was that boy in "A Christmas Story" was wanting.

[Saggitariutt Jefferspin (ith)]

Nov 13, 2008 9:06:52 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

Your G-Ma must be a little more old school then mine. Curse words are not a problem at my family functions. Especially once the beers start flowing.

I can certainly vouch for this.

I get e-mails like this all the time, don't forward them, but also don't put much thought into them. I doubt she really dissected each point in the e-mail.

Knowing your grandma though, I hardly think she would take offense to this. Maybe she'll even praise you for your critical thinking.

[roxxstar]

Nov 13, 2008 9:41:51 GMT -6 Saggitariutt Jefferspin (ith) said:

Nov 13, 2008 9:06:52 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

Your G-Ma must be a little more old school then mine. Curse words are not a problem at my family functions. Especially once the beers start flowing.

I can certainly vouch for this.

I get e-mails like this all the time, don't forward them, but also don't put much thought into them. I doubt she really dissected each point in the e-mail.

Knowing your grandma though, I hardly think she would take offense to this. Maybe she'll even praise you for your critical thinking.

Yeah, she forwards me stupid emails all of the time. I normally just delete them. This one was kind of weird though, because she forwarded it only to me (no one else). Normally, her emails are forwarded to tons of people. And normally, they are all about love and God.

[lpcalihawk]

Nov 13, 2008 10:03:46 GMT -6 @roxxstar said:

Nov 13, 2008 9:41:51 GMT -6 Saggitariutt Jefferspin (ith) said:

I can certainly vouch for this.

I get e-mails like this all the time, don't forward them, but also don't put much thought into them. I doubt she really dissected each point in the e-mail.

Knowing your grandma though, I hardly think she would take offense to this. Maybe she'll even praise you for your critical thinking.

Yeah, she forwards me stupid emails all of the time. I normally just delete them. This one was kind of weird though, because she forwarded it only to me (no one else). Normally, her emails are forwarded to tons of people. And normally, they are all about love and God.

I get the same shit from one of my Aunts. I usually just delete but there have been a few that set me off and I will respond. I made up my own about a month ago and emailed it to her list of crazy right-wing evangelicals.......it was all about John McCain being an unfaithful husband to his first wife and ruining people's lives in the S&L scandal of the 1980's.......or did I make that up.

[iammrhawkeyes]

Hey, Roxxy. Sounds like grandma and mr. Rooney have their shit together. Hell yeah debate grandma-in a respectful way of course and only if both of you can have a piece of punkin' pie together afterwards. I've gotten in some interesting debates with my family elders(grandparents included) and truly enjoy their perspective whether they agree with my views or not. I've learned not to bring politics up with one of my aunts because anything said contrary to her thinking automatically turns her mood and thus the gathering sour. So we mostly talk Hawkeye sports. Good luck.

[roxxstar]

Nov 13, 2008 10:09:21 GMT -6 @iammrhawkeyes said:

Hey, Roxxy. Sounds like grandma and mr. Rooney have their shit together. Hell yeah debate grandma-in a respectful way of course and only if both of you can have a piece of punkin' pie together afterwards. I've gotten in some interesting debates with my family elders(grandparents included) and truly enjoy their perspective whether they agree with my views or not. I've learned not to bring politics up with one of my aunts because anything said contrary to her thinking automatically turns her mood and thus the gathering sour. So we mostly talk Hawkeye sports. Good luck.

True that. Friendly debating is the spice of life.

[Saggitariutt Jefferspin (ith)]

Nov 13, 2008 10:09:21 GMT -6 @iammrhawkeyes said:

Hey, Roxxy. Sounds like grandma and mr. Rooney have their shit together. Hell yeah debate grandma-in a respectful way of course and only if both of you can have a piece of punkin' pie together afterwards. I've gotten in some interesting debates with my family elders(grandparents included) and truly enjoy their perspective whether they agree with my views or not. I've learned not to bring politics up with one of my aunts because anything said contrary to her thinking automatically turns her mood and thus the gathering sour. So we mostly talk Hawkeye sports. Good luck.

This is a good point. I've learned there are people in my life that is a moot point to discuss politics. My dad used to be one of them. Others, like some on this board, I could get in a heated debate and happily have a beer with afterwards.

Just for the sake of continuing the conversation, though, if the tables were turned, I would not argue with my grandma. She is super old-fashioned, almost borderline senile. First of all, the prospect of her sending an e-mail is laughable. She has probably not said a cuss word in her life. Her first words out of her mouth after greeting me is asking if I'm still going to church every Sunday, and what the sermon was about this week.

She's getting way up there in age, so there's no use in upsetting her...in this case I don't feel bad about lying. She says things I would definitely take exception to, but I just go with it. She would be the type that might not eat punkin' pie with me if I argued with her.

That said, she's my grandma, and I still love her. (happy feely moment)

[twinegarden]

My grandma's and I have actually had some pretty good conversations about alot of these things. My one grandma usually tells me that she thinks I am smart and a special person, the other one thinks I do drugs. LOL.

[socal]

My response is usually comprised of a link to Snopes debunking the "writer" was actually the writer --- along with facts in the e-mail.
---or add to their paranoia.

I don't go nearly as far as you do.



Sample on how you should respond:

Grandma, thanks for the e-mail - but after doing some basic digging, the e-mail you sent wasn't written by Andy Rooney.
www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/rooney4.asp

Not sure whom the writer is... but they appear to have an agenda. I'd keep an eye on the person that sent it to you. Another site I checked for info said that e-mails like this are often disguises for Cuban computer viruses. If you read them for longer than 10 seconds, the Cubans can get access to your bank accounts.

SoCal

(You should change "Cubans" for another group of "them" for better effect)




Then you can cry that you're related, and rejoice that the bigoted beliefs of her generation will soon die off.

[twinegarden]

Nov 13, 2008 12:15:50 GMT -6 socal said:

My response is usually comprised of a link to Snopes debunking the "writer" was actually the writer --- along with facts in the e-mail.
---or add to their paranoia.

I don't go nearly as far as you do.



Sample on how you should respond:

Grandma, thanks for the e-mail - but after doing some basic digging, the e-mail you sent wasn't written by Andy Rooney.
www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/rooney4.asp

Not sure whom the writer is... but they appear to have an agenda. I'd keep an eye on the person that sent it to you. Another site I checked for info said that e-mails like this are often disguises for Cuban computer viruses. If you read them for longer than 10 seconds, the Cubans can get access to your bank accounts.

SoCal

(You should change "Cubans" for another group of "them" for better effect)




Then you can cry that you're related, and rejoice that the bigoted beliefs of her generation will soon die off.

I have recieved that email from another relative in the past too.

Here is a text my little sister (1/2 redneck) sent me:

Attn: all white people report to the cotton fields tomorrow at 7am for orientation.

I was kind of let down by her when she sent the message (this was last Wed after the election.

[roxxstar]

At least that could be taken as a joke.

[poncho72]

Here is a text my little sister (1/2 redneck) sent me:

Attn: all white people report to the cotton fields tomorrow at 7am for orientation.

I was kind of let down by her when she sent the message (this was last Wed after the election.


Yep I got that same text from my Brother In-law ( 99.9% redneck and proud of it ).

[Norm "racerhawk" Parker]

Nov 13, 2008 15:49:40 GMT -6 poncho72 said:

Here is a text my little sister (1/2 redneck) sent me:

Attn: all white people report to the cotton fields tomorrow at 7am for orientation.

I was kind of let down by her when she sent the message (this was last Wed after the election.


Yep I got that same text from my Brother In-law ( 99.9% redneck and proud of it ).

Holy shit. This whole thread is a boat load of holy shit. It's funny how people are proud of being stupid and mean.

[Norm "racerhawk" Parker]

PS--roxxstar your response was great!

[iammrhawkeyes]

Nov 13, 2008 12:15:50 GMT -6 socal said:

Then you can cry that you're related, and rejoice that the bigoted beliefs of her generation will soon die off.

Yep, Roxxy. Rejoice. One less beloved family member but no more beliefs different from your own. Sweet! Chope is here.

[herkyp]

I don't see what the fuss is about. I think the email wasn't that bad, even had some pretty good points.

[roxxstar]

What's all the fuss about?

I'll tell you what it's abooot! It's abooot dignity, it's abooot respect!

Rabble Rabble Rabble

[herkyp]

Can I finish, Can I finish,. . . . ok I'm finished.