Sometimes you just can’t hold it in.

vent¹ /vɛnt/

–noun

1. an opening, as in a wall, serving as an outlet for air, smoke, fumes, or the like.

2. an opening at the earth's surface from which volcanic material, as lava, steam, or gas, is emitted.

3. Zoology. the anal or excretory opening of animals, esp. of those below mammals, as birds and reptiles.

4. the small opening at the breech of a gun by which fire is communicated to the charge.

5. a means of exit or escape; an outlet, as from confinement.

6. expression; utterance; release: to give vent to one's emotions.

7. Obsolete. the act or fact of venting; emission or discharge.

–verb (used with object)

8. to give free play or expression to (an emotion, passion, etc.):to vent rage.

9. to give public utterance to: to vent one's opinions.

10. to relieve by giving expression to something: He vented his disappointment by criticizing his successor.

11. to release or discharge (liquid, smoke, etc.).

12. to furnish or provide with a vent or vents.

–verb (used without object)

13. to be relieved of pressure or discharged by means of a vent.

14. (of an otter or other animal) to rise to the surface of the water to breathe.

I’m going to use definition 8, 9, and 10 to respond to a person who in my opinion was acting like definition 3. I’m not going to be politically correct, so if that bothers you, feel free to leave. I won’t know the difference.

And yes, Erin, this picture applies:

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So, here’s the deal. I see a post on Facebook from the Tea Party Patriots, linking to a video clip from MSNBC. Well, this is the only place I’d see any MSNBC, since I won’t watch in on TV, so I watch the clip. I’ve linked it in below for your enjoyment. I’m sorry for the quality of the clip; I didn’t post it.

‘The BIG Black Lie’ Author Debates MSNBC’s Shuster on Tea Pa
Uploaded by burghnews. - News videos hot off the press.

After watching the video, I felt I should comment, and express my feelings, so here’s my comments regarding the video:

I'm not supporting Mr. Shuster. However, everyone needs to stop making this an us vs them issue. The easiest way to win a war is to make your enemy fight himself. We may have different beliefs on how the country should be run, but it is OUR country. The more we fight amongst ourselves, the less likely we are to get anything accomplished.
I spent 21 years as a service member during the Cold War, defending the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Communism was the primary enemy then. Now it's our friend? When are people around this country going to wake up and smell the fact that we've lost the war without even fighting? We've become the USSA. Is there any way to turn that around? I hope so, but I'm doubtful it will happen.
I don't want my grandchildren to grow up in a country where they won't have the same freedoms that were guaranteed to us by the Constitution and it's amendments. But the Constitution is being eroded as we watch. People are all worked up about global warming, which won't have any lasting effects for another 50 years or so that they don't see the fact that our rights and freedoms are being taken away from us.
It's not about Republican or Democrat. It's not about black or white. It's not Hispanic, Asian, or native American. It's about this country and what it used to stand for. I'm not so sure it still does.

Not more than 5 minutes later, I get a message in my Facebook mail, from an individual who shall remain nameless. All I know about the individual is what is here, and the fact that the profile picture was a badly lit picture of an African-American female. Here’s the contents of that message:

You People Are so dumb, the only reason you are mad is because this president is BLACK. what did you do in the service, kill women and children? you are no hero so go somewhere and sit down racist.

I was flabbergasted. First off, who are “You people”? People who post on Facebook? People who post in reply to Tea Party Patriot posts on Facebook? Obviously, she must have meant white, middle class, retired military conservatives. Let’s see if you can make that pidgin hole a little narrower; like your mind.

So, I replied to my new acquaintance. I tried to be polite. I think I succeeded. But I’m not going to be polite in a little while. So again, if you don’t want to see this, you should leave now. I won’t mind at all.

It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant people can be. You actually believe that every person in the military kills women and children, and that because I happen to have light colored skin in my picture that I'm a racist? (and by the way, I am sitting down).
I'm not mad; I'm sad. Sad that you haven't been educated. Sad that you would insult me, when you don't know me. Sad that you think I would kill women and children, when in fact the only time I even handled a weapon was when I had to qualify with it.
I'm sad that you are so hurt by others that you think I want to hurt you too. Why are you so angry? I don't have any problem with the fact that the president's father was from Africa. What bothers me is that his view on everything seems to be 180 degrees from mine.
You see, after spending 21 years in the military, I learned not to judge people by what they look like, but by what they ACT like.
I'm sad for you.

I truly am sad for her. She is limiting her life so much by being so angry at everyone who isn’t just like her. As William Cowper wrote in The Task (1785)--'The Timepiece' (Book II, lines 606-7):

Variety's the very spice of life,
That gives it all its flavour.

If we were all the same, life would be terrible.

Now, enough of being sad and morose.

This poor woman has been deluded by the media, by the education system she was exposed to, and quite likely by her friends and family. Let me tell you right now that not every white person is racist. However, I have met some that were. I’ve also met some black people who were so racist against whites that I couldn’t spend time around them. As an example, the people who listen to what ever (for lack of a better term) “black” radio station it was that was on when I was slugging from Woodbridge to the Pentagon one day when the three on-air “personalities” were white-bashing for more than 30 minutes, while the two black women in the front seat laughed like crazy. Oh that was hilarious. And the wife of a coworker of mine from when I was stationed in the Azores who wouldn’t even come to our house for a cook-out because we were white. And I’m just getting started.

Racism isn’t a one way street people. Every ethnic group has racists. I’ve been restaurants that wouldn’t serve you unless you were Hispanic. I know of Japanese families that would spit on you if you were Korean (and I’ll honestly admit I can’t tell the difference most of the time by looking).

COME ON PEOPLE!!!!! Pull your heads out of your butts and look around. For God’s sake people, it’s 2010. If we can’t get along now, will we ever?

It’s worth saying again. Let’s stop letting anyone make this about us versus them, whoever us and them are. WE THE PEOPLE need to wake up and smell the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution! ALL MEN (people in general, humans, not the gender) ARE CREATED EQUAL. If you can’t believe that, you’ve got some growing up to do. If we don’t start going back to our countries roots (and I don’t mean bring back slavery, I mean the REAL roots), the principals this country was founded on, we are going to lose this country. I would venture to say that if any of the “Founding Fathers” were to see the US today, they wouldn’t recognize it. And I don’t just mean technology. Change is not always good. But stagnation isn’t either. We need to find some middle ground where we can stand together and bring this once great country back from the brink of destruction.

I found a song on an old CD of Amie’s (oldest daughter) about a month ago. It’s 10 years old or so, but it’s still accurate. I’m going to stop ranting and just let you click this link. Thanks if you made it this far. http://blip.fm/~njnbb

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