The Meaning of the Right Ear

[Greg Reimer 7376]

You know, one of the rights we all love and use freely is the right to a free press. We have the right to get on the stump, and it's a wonderful thing. It's a good thing to have an open forum, air divergent opinions, then go to lunch together and watch the rest of the drags that day. The way people lose rights is incrementally, censorship is a gradual thing that sneaks up on all of us. If we abuse rights, disregard civility, belittle each other, etc, we can lose an open forum like this. I think all of you know how I feel about conservatism, Christianity, human and civil rights, etc, but when it gets rancorous and very angry sounding, that's when the open forum can be constricted or worse yet, eliminated. Eddie, you are a friend. We've known each other 10 years or so. We met at Pomona when Tony Janes introduced us, nothing new here. You helped us out many times. I had a double hernia operation years back, three weekends later, I went to Irwindale with my Chevelle wagon, right before eliminations, or maybe it was first round, blew the ring and pinion, and you were the first to gather a small army of people to help me get it back on the trailer, all 3800 pounds or so, and I was in no shape to do anything but steer it. Don't think that act will ever be forgotten. We talk about cars, racing, what it was like to be a Marine back when Viet Nam was going on, we talk about our wives, my son, our daughters, what they are doing as they navigate life, it's great. I don't feel the least bit threatened by our separate politics, I don't care about that. We've had many a lunch together, usually at Maria's, the local food landmark here in Glendora, we even performed emergency surgery on a 350 Olds motor that bent an exhaust valve on the first qualifying pass at Winternationals one year. Great thing, they got to the third round on our emergency repair!Watching that made it all worthwhile. The point here, there are too many plusses in all of our lives to destroy it over differences of opinions in either religion or politics. I don't like seeing angry rants in our communications here. Both sides present very intelligent responses based on our varied experiences.each side is valuable.
There was an old story about a middle aged man traveling on a road trip and he drove through the small town he was raised in, and he noticed that the same local watering hole was there that he visited as a young man. He went in, same bartender, who happened to recognize him. they sat down and conversed, whereby the man reminisced about the spirited discussions that used to regularly occur, usually about religion and politics.The bartender mentioned that he had to put an end to all that in order to maintain order and prevent the infrastructure destruction that drunken bar fights used to lead to. He said that one day, the local church pastor paid him a visit and made his acquaintance, and the saloon order mentioned that the only thing he didn't like about the ordinarily nice people in that town was when they got into drunken destructive brawls, usually over the subjects of both religion or politics. The pastor says,"That's easy to answer. It seems that the devil is the busiest whenever those two subjects come up".
That's the point. Let's not lose this forum and others because of a bunch of rancorous nasty language and angry reactions to one another. Free speech is a basic right.Let's not give anybody an excuse to ruin it for us all.

[Eddies66]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

You know, one of the rights we all love and use freely is the right to a free press. We have the right to get on the stump, and it's a wonderful thing. It's a good thing to have an open forum, air divergent opinions, then go to lunch together and watch the rest of the drags that day. The way people lose rights is incrementally, censorship is a gradual thing that sneaks up on all of us. If we abuse rights, disregard civility, belittle each other, etc, we can lose an open forum like this. I think all of you know how I feel about conservatism, Christianity, human and civil rights, etc, but when it gets rancorous and very angry sounding, that's when the open forum can be constricted or worse yet, eliminated. Eddie, you are a friend. We've known each other 10 years or so. We met at Pomona when Tony Janes introduced us, nothing new here. You helped us out many times. I had a double hernia operation years back, three weekends later, I went to Irwindale with my Chevelle wagon, right before eliminations, or maybe it was first round, blew the ring and pinion, and you were the first to gather a small army of people to help me get it back on the trailer, all 3800 pounds or so, and I was in no shape to do anything but steer it. Don't think that act will ever be forgotten. We talk about cars, racing, what it was like to be a Marine back when Viet Nam was going on, we talk about our wives, my son, our daughters, what they are doing as they navigate life, it's great. I don't feel the least bit threatened by our separate politics, I don't care about that. We've had many a lunch together, usually at Maria's, the local food landmark here in Glendora, we even performed emergency surgery on a 350 Olds motor that bent an exhaust valve on the first qualifying pass at Winternationals one year. Great thing, they got to the third round on our emergency repair!Watching that made it all worthwhile. The point here, there are too many plusses in all of our lives to destroy it over differences of opinions in either religion or politics. I don't like seeing angry rants in our communications here. Both sides present very intelligent responses based on our varied experiences.each side is valuable.
There was an old story about a middle aged man traveling on a road trip and he drove through the small town he was raised in, and he noticed that the same local watering hole was there that he visited as a young man. He went in, same bartender, who happened to recognize him. they sat down and conversed, whereby the man reminisced about the spirited discussions that used to regularly occur, usually about religion and politics.The bartender mentioned that he had to put an end to all that in order to maintain order and prevent the infrastructure destruction that drunken bar fights used to lead to. He said that one day, the local church pastor paid him a visit and made his acquaintance, and the saloon order mentioned that the only thing he didn't like about the ordinarily nice people in that town was when they got into drunken destructive brawls, usually over the subjects of both religion or politics. The pastor says,"That's easy to answer. It seems that the devil is the busiest whenever those two subjects come up".
That's the point. Let's not lose this forum and others because of a bunch of rancorous nasty language and angry reactions to one another. Free speech is a basic right.Let's not give anybody an excuse to ruin it for us all.

Well said Greg! The respect I have for you can not be overstated. I have assisted and supported you over the years and it has always been my honor to know you. I support the sport you are in and will continue until the wheel me out the back gate of Pomona and Irwindale. Your generous donations to my Service Organization has benefited our veterans and their families over the years.You and Tony are true gentlemen! It is none of my business about your beliefs, we have both worked our butts off to have the things and family we have. It is your right to have your opinions. Oh, one more small thing....I don't wear Birkenstocks!!

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Thanks for your kind words. Oh, yes. If you wore Birkenstocks to Pomona or Irwindale,wouldn't you get your white socks dirty? That's a joke!!

[Eddies66]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

Thanks for your kind words. Oh, yes. If you wore Birkenstocks to Pomona or Irwindale,wouldn't you get your white socks dirty? That's a joke!!

I might as well run barefoot though hell with a pair of gas soaked underwear than wear Birkenstocks.