Help. I'm hot under the collar from a note from my SIL (freeper).

[woodsprite]

I desperately want to tear her a new....um, I mean, rip her freeper chainletter apart piece by piece and refute absolutely everything in it. Horrid person that she is, she sent me a thing that supposedly came to our uncle thru a friend in the CIA that Jay Leno had something to do with (yeah, right). Right now my BP is so high that I can't see straight to even begin researching it yet. UGH!!! I just had to vent to someone and I knew DUers would understand. When I get calm and collected again, I'll relish ripping it apart line by line. This is what it said (believe me, I shortened it tremendously):

-------------------------
Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see....

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll
data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source,
right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with
the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is
unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the
citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What we are so
unhappy about?'' Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week? ....

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic
Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through
each state? ....

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.... if a
prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest
will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias
raping and pillaging the residents. ....

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world
has ever seen.....

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no
plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval
rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days
after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of
recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in
the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe
from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army
that is out there defending you and me?....

...are you upset at the President because he actually caused you
personal pain OR is it because the "Me dia" told you he was failing to kiss
your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it. The
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many
cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this
country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up
with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge
or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in
the brig.....

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of
Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. ....

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the
TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird
cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country....

.... are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Jay Leno

Please keep this in circulation. There are so many people t hat need to
read this and grasp the truth of it all.

[Richardo]

1. Lower your BP by linking to the snopes.com debunk

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

'Reply all' with the link to your SIL.


Leno only said the last bit about the Pledge of Allegiance.

[YOY]

2. Wonder if Leno actually wrote it

Can someone Snopes it and send it back to Woodsprite's SIL with the note "Please keep this in circulation. There are so many people t hat need to read this and grasp the truth of it all...especially the fucking idiots who read and believed the first one before it was debunked."

Liberal ME dia my ass...

[Buzz Clik]

3. You bothered to read this?

I got through the first paragraph and quit.

You SIL is a bit of a dipshit. I find that people who forward this kind of crap are either extremely bored or dim.

My advice -- ignore it.

EDIT: In light of the fact that the email is also bogus, I find it hard giving you SIL any credit whatsoever. And about your brother...

[Coventina]

4. Do a "reply all" with the Snopes link showing it to be false.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

That usually stops that kind of thing.

[kegler14]

5. Your bright Freeper SIL fell for a hoax. Leno did NOT write this.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

[Solly Mack]

6. barf

[Skinner]

7. Google and Snopes.

Gets 'em every time: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp (It's false.)

As for your SIL, you should ask him this: When Bill Clinton was president, was your SIL expressing his satisfaction with the state of the nation based on the fact that he has electricity and running water?

Talk about setting the bar low. Electricity and running water? This Bush guy is a freaking genius!

[rasputin1952]

12. Well...here in NE we look at electricity and running water as

miracles from God...:)

Sewers, those are from satan...:(

:rofl:

[KittyWampus]

13. The Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations. Most people didn't realise he was talking about himself.

[tabasco]

19. Please note yet another load of freeper garbage posted without one reply from the OP.

This is the kind of crap that is ruining DU.

It seems like there are hundreds of trolls operating under the radar and successfully disrupting the discussions.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. If you responded with facts...

You would only make her head explode. Facts tend to do that with the fweepishly-inclined. They tend to live in a delightful little world of ponies, cotton candy clouds and The Celestial Dear Leader watching over all.

[rurallib]

9. Why even put up with her? Tell her to leave you alone

I believe many families in this country have split because of Bush. I have two BILs that I seldom talk to and one brother who won't discuss much but the weather.
Even though their position has been proven over and over to be wrong, RWers seem to have to push their bullshit on us. I for one have better things to do.

[tabasco]

10. Tell her to STFU and join the Army.

I'm fed up with these ignorant brownshirt stooges.

"They volunteered. FUCK 'EM!" is what they are saying.

They have no idea how BROKEN our military is right now. I find it very illuminating how the letter claims any soldier can mutiny and get a general or OTH discharge. This shows such a lack of understanding and respect for our military it makes me sick. Recruiting and re-ups are in the toilet. Our troops didn't volunteer to get stuck in a hopeless, bloody quagmire, and tens of thousands are not allowed to get out due to STOP-LOSS! Standards have been lowered so far that any criminal dreg can join up.

These people don't give a shit about our troops and this letter demonstrates that quite clearly. They like to sit their ass on the sofa and watch war on teevee. It's the only source of pride in their miserable lives, seeing American troops kicking down doors and terrorizing families. SICK!

[rasputin1952]

14. Yep...I ask any RW yahoo or war supoorter why they are

talking to me instead of a recruiter...:D

They shut up instantaneously, don't want none of that sacrificing stuff you know...:D

[Bitwit1234]

11. I watch Jay Leno and I have never ever heard this rant

Leno is a republican you can tell by the way he defended bush in years gone by. But he now does jokes about him and does get to the truth of the matter of what he does.

[Giant Robot]

15. So I barely watch Leno

But even I could tell this was not his style. I think there is some truth in what is written, that there is a lot to be grateful for in this country and we do not pay attention to that. That being said, there is a lot that needs fixing, and we are on the wrong path to accomplish that.

[Missy Vixen]

16. To echo everyone else

Hit "reply all" and send the SIL the Snopes link.

It's amazing how quickly I stopped receiving crap like the above when a couple of people were called out on their ignorance re: Snopes. They'll also get irate e-mails from others who aren't happy their contact info is going to complete strangers.

Julie

[siligut]

17. Poor thing

I have a sister like this, I have asked that she not send me this crap but she always starts back up. I sometimes send a refutation; sometimes I just email her that I can’t really believe a smart woman like herself is falling for this warped joke.

Here’s the deal, she is getting better. Her trouble is she doesn't want to face that we have a spoiled, greedy, childlike president. Some people need a loving father in the sky (she is Xian) and the knowledge they live in the greatest country on earth.

There are as we know, people who spend their days making this stuff up, keeping the sheep in line, maybe some of them, the sheep will never wake-up, maybe some of them will. I have to have hope, it is my loving father in the sky thing. Hope is what keeps me going and thriving. Give your SIL benefit of the doubt, help her pull her head out of her ass, it is the Democratic thing to do.

[noamnety]

18. Aside from it not being by Leno

In general, what the letter says is we should be pleased to be rich and white and privileged, and shouldn't care if we screw over the rest of the world to keep those privileges.

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic
Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through
each state? ....

I can assure you, that was written by someone who isn't black.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.... if a
prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest
will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

and that was written by someone who wasn't stopped by armed police when they tried to walk across a bridge to get out of New Orleans.

When we HAVE liberty and justice for all, maybe then I'll start thinking about saying the pledge. We can't even get the Equal Rights Amendment to pass. Don't tell me I don't have equal rights, then get pissed off cause I don't join in a chant about how we all got the same rights.

[woodsprite]

20. OK, I got a handle on my BP and this was my reply....

*** Actually, this is not from Jay Leno. All but the last line in quotes has been fabricated by a multitude of people along the chain email line. Leno did utter the last line regarding hurricanes, etc. on his Tonight Show monologue during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Originally written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and chairman of the committee of State superintendents of education, the Pledge did not contain the words "under God". Those words were not added to the Pledge until 1954, after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus. This was during the Red scare and the heat of Macarthy-ism.
Bellamy was originally going to include the word "equality" to the Pledge, but knew that the superintendents were against equality for women and African Americans.

For the whole story behind the supposed Leno quote, check out:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/hitnail.asp

The following IS an actual editorial and opening to a recently released book written by Lee Iacocca entitled "Where have all the Leaders Gone?". Enjoy! http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/iacocca.asp

By the way, Lil' Boots approval rating (if you want to call it that) now stands at 28%, so the unhappy Americans have risen to 72% - that's almost 3/4 of America. They must have been using old figures. :)