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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Vince DiSabato added to this discussion on May 7, 2008
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The wonderful GWB administration has not only placed this nation in peril throughout the freeworld and made living in this country closer to living in the Sudan, here is his latest contribution.
Forget about the country's infrastucture depleting, Forget about the mocking of the Bill of Rights. Don't worry about another illicit and illegal war. Never mind how the No Child Left Behind crap has put every child Left Behind compared to the children in the freeworld.
His administartion is even attacking the amatuer sport of wrestling. GWB gives you the repeal of the Stupak Olympic Scholarships.
Thanks a**wipe. Kill all Olympic Sports in the USA. God love him!
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Jeremiah Webber added to this discussion on May 7, 2008
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Yes, Vince, Life In America is sooo BAD. I wish I lived in a great place like North Korea.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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His administration has such a need for money to spend on an unwinnable military engagement that they're cannibalizing tiny funds like the one that supports wrestlers.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Brian Nicola added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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That scholarship is VERY valuable for the amount of money it takes. Probable future olympians include Harry Lester, Spenser Mango and Mary Kelly.
And, god forbid, they get their degrees while doing it.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Scott Shaw added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Jeremiah, I don't think Vince is saying that he wants to live in a different country. I think he is just voicing his incredible distaste for what is just one of the latest bonehead moves by our President.
I am not one to talk politics, as my father always told me religion and politics are two subjects that you just don't discuss, but even the most adamant Republicans have to admit that some of the moves made by GW's administration have not been the best decisions.
Back to wrestling, the elimination of these scholarships would take us another step closer to the death of Olympic sports in America. Not just in being competitive with the rest of the world during the Olympics, but it signals to collegiate administrators that some of these sports are no longer important to Americans and can be eliminated without a fight. Wrestling, swimming, men's gymnastics, etc. would all be more on the chopping block than they are now.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Ken Ramsey Sr. added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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And we blame Bush for all this? Should not we be blaming the heirarchy of wrestling for what they have done to the sport over the last 30 years or more. Our sport continues to decline because what we have done to it or allowed to be done to it.
The American's arrogance to differ their wrestling style from the rest of the World and the rest of the World's appeasement to TV and Advertising to ruin Freestyle and Greco from the great sports they were in the 70"s and 80"s and satisfy the Americans to make their style the only style.
I also thought the rules of the forum said, "No Politics."
God forbid we would want to stop more bombings or hijacked plane crashes before they happen by defending ourselves from terrorist in their countries.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Jeremiah Webber added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Mr. Shaw- I’m sure living in North Korea sounds a little extreme, but it frustrates me to no end to hear people degrade our great nation. Some people never have it good enough; no matter how good they have it.
Mr. Ramsey- Great post. You have mad many good points. Thank You.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Vince DiSabato added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Mr's Weber and Ramsey;
Politics is effecting the sport. In fact the reason given by the administration to drop the grant was that "it was not a measureable grant for effectiveness." Total Hogwash.
It certainly is measureable by means of graduation rates and of course tracking the success rates of the athletes who are participating in national and international competitions.
I don't ever recall saying anything detrimental about the United States in the original post because I didn't.
Ken, I have agreed with you many times in regards to many issues with how the sport in the USA is promoted. It hasn't been good. And there are many to share the blame. But in regards to the grant being dropped...it was proposed by one administration and just one person who signs his name to it.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Jeremiah Webber added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Vince, in your original post you compared living in the U.S. to living in Sudan. You also mock the U.S. infrastructure and Bill of Rights. You criticize a war I am sure you know little about, and most disturbing is your quote about No Child Left Behind, “Never mind how the No Child Left Behind crap has put every child Left Behind compared to the children in the freeworld.” Can you please tell me who we are comparing American children with and how their world is more free than ours? I’m not agreeing or disagreeing with any policies put forth by our current administration. I spent 4 years in the United States Marine Corps and I am honored to have served with people that have given their lives protecting, for one, your right to degrade this great nation.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Harry Lester added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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I'm getting so tired of everyone talking about how wrestling isn't wrestling anymore. The sport is what the sport is, it’s combat. What has changed about 2 guys going and trying to score and pin his opponent. I love the new rules; personally I think they are more exciting in both styles. If anything I believe it is the way athletes are coached to wrestle instead of the rules that FILA has imposed. As far as the decline of wrestling, I believe it's because we don't advertise ourselves enough. The wrestling community is a closed off community. People are afraid to show excitement, afraid to speak their minds about their performances. All that creates excitement and that’s what people want to see. But anytime a wrestler does that the majority of the wrestling community deems him as bad for the sport. As far as the scholarship goes, I have been in the USOEC program for 6 years now. And I know before I got here that there were almost no problems with the funding. That was before the GWB years. After 2002, we have been constantly in jeopardy of losing the program. I feel as an athlete that competes internationally that I too am serving my country, and I feel betrayed that my compensation for this is by this administration is taking away my means of training and receiving a better education.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Jeremiah:
I believe that one of the noblest things a person can do is put their life in harms way in service to their country. It is because this act is so noble that any president has an obligation not to squander the lives of those willing to serve without the most compelling of reasons. Afghanistan met that criteria IMO because it gave sanctuary on their soil to those that attacked us on 9/11 and on other occasions.
But Iraq? They didn't attack us nor were they aiding our enemies. Indeed, they were at great odds with Al Qaeda as Saddam was a Sunni and more secular than most Arab leaders. The awkward truth is that we've never been given a compelling reason for the engagement that the people of this country are financing at an out-of-control cost. And every justification for the invasion--WMD's, links to Al Qaeda--has been proven fraudulent. As gas and food prices rapidly rise, and the cost of health care becomes increasingly unaffordable (although other nations manage to handle this one far better) we continue to deficit spend in order to continue a military engagement that we have no chance to win in any real sense. Indeed, sooner or later we have to leave and when we do, our real enemies, the Iranian regime, will be the ones to gain tremendous influence. This war has been a folly and a deception perpetrated on the people of this country from the moment of it's inception. And you should be filled with righteous indignation that those that serve are giving their lives for a cause that was falsely set forth by greedy, unprincipled men. Their lack of insight and scruples has led to the unconscionable deaths of so many individuals of valor such as yourself.
Stepping off my soapbox now....
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Mike Taylor added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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I think we need to be careful with how we throw around this phrase "serving my country." There is no denying the athletes who represent our great country internationally sacrifice a lot to reach the elite level that is required to be competetive w/ other nations. However, let's not cheapen the sacrifices made by our deployed soldiers, sailor, airmen, marines and all their families by saying anyone who represents our nation in the arena of competition is "serving their country."
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Mr. Lester...I am a big fan, so please don't take this the wrong way...
You being on the inside have the inside info others of us do not. After reading your post, it appears that there are more people to blame than just us. And GWB for that matter. There are any number of people that would hate to see high school wrestling succeed in any form. And because of that, college and international wrestling takes a hit.
IMHO - a great deal of the blame always lies with the participants. Who SHOULD be the ones fighting for wrestling!?!?! Trust me when I say it will NOT be the fencing, rowing, softball, volleyball, hockey, basketball, (enter sport here), crowd. Any WHY SHOULD IT NOT be that way!?!?! WE are the ones who are involved! WE are the ones who should care more! WE are the ones who should be willing to entertain.
Or could some of the problem be that, although we do elect these officials into office (or at least a majority does) we give them too much say-so on how they run our lives!?! If the consitution was our binding document, I think we'd be free to rise and fall as much as the wrestling community allowed.
We should also be the ones building up rather than cutting down its very own participants.
But hey, as I've said many o' times...my world is Little Bill and Max and Ruby.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Mike Taylor added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Hank, I understand completely what Jeremiah is saying having served more than 10 yrs active duty and being deployed to Iraq during the 1st 8 months of the war. Do I agree NOW that we should be there? Well, there are probably better ways we could have gone about it than what we did. However, we are there and now have an obligation to see it through. We have stirred up a hornet's nest and to just pack up and leave now would be irresponsible. Rember, you break it you buy it. Well, we've effectively broken that country and are now responsible for putting it back together. They didn't ask for us to come in. We invaded. If it truly was to "liberate" these people as we have claimed for so long, then we have the responsibility to see them back on their feet. To leave now fosters ill will that will only produce more terrorist threats against us in the future. Don't believe me? Ask yourself how you would feel towards a country that blew up many of your cities, siezed control of their borders, had your leader executed (and killed his sons) and then just packed their bags and left before you were back up and running again. I feel there are other fights we should be fighting, but this is the one we are in, and we can't do a whole lot until we resolve this. Unfortunately there hasn't been anyone smart enough (Rep or Dem) to prove they can solve this issue.
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Discussion Topic: Another reason to love GWB
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on May 8, 2008
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Mike:
Much respect to you for what you've done. I agree with much of what you said. As an American citizen, however, I'd like to see those that embroiled us in this situation take responsibility for the mess. One of Bush's games is that he likes to talk tough but constantly sidesteps true accountability. A real leader would have resigned over what has taken place. At least that act would show character. (the same is true for the response to Hurricane Katrina which is a national disgrace). I also think we need some honesty about what has occurred. You're right to say we can't leave the mess we've helped create. But how to clean it up? Until those responsible display accountability, the people of this country can't move forward. Nor can others lead.
Mark:
In defense of Harry Lester, he shares in common with our soldiers the fact that he is a victim of errant policy. His life is not on the line but he has dedicated his life to a goal that is a potential source of pride to his country. Shouldn't he be allowed to continue without having his very modest funds cut off?
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