Saturday, November 14, 2015

Paris




we are all French now.




as most of you have read on my blog, I've lived in the Middle East, in Iran during the time of the Shah.

they loved Americans and all people of the West.
they were educated people, there was a definite middle-class.
I always felt safe there.

we were able to visit Beirut, drive all around Lebanon & even visited Syria.

I wonder all the time what would have happened to our world if Jimmy Carter had not
allowed the Shah to fall.  the Shah's family would still be in power today.
together with the Shah we also had a friend in the King of Jordan.
those countries were strong, and if they had remained stabilized & friendly to the West
would we have terrorists?
I don't think so.

I've been watching CNN since the beginning of the attack reporting
& know we are seeing brain-washed fanatics, not religious fanatics.
religion has nothing to do with this.
it's used as a war chant.

brain-washed drug-addicted people.

only education can change this.
but that's too slow.

how do we deal with this problem?
do any of you have ideas?

ideas which fall just short of dropping the bomb.
now I know why President Truman dropped the bomb...
it was the only way to stop the carnage, I guess.

what do you think?

this is a rant.  I know that.
it's a rant because no one can see the reason behind these horrific acts.
it's also a rant because I'm both an outspoken Texan with Italian heritage.
I was born this way!!



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33 comments:

  1. Marsha,
    No solutions, but encouragement to rant when needed. America is free speech. To stand by and say nothing allows tyrants to victimize others. Vive la France!

    Judith

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  2. Well said, Marsha.
    Your rant is good with me. I never welcomed a president more than I welcomed Ronald Reagan in 1980. He would not have allowed the Shah to fall. It was the first time in my life I voted R. I felt very safe with he and Mrs. Thatcher.
    Love your spirit and courage to speak your mind.
    I have Italian blood in me too!
    w/L

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    1. I so appreciate all these comments! One never knows how reader's will react, and I am gratified.

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  3. I don't know you but have read your blog. I think your comments are very thought provoking and I agree.... due to their nature, it seems to me that some, many or perhaps all of these countries so thoroughly entrenched in tribal histories and biases need the leadership that they had in order to survive. The view that everything can be Americanized is to me at odds with what has happened in the Middle East as a result of attempts to 'democratize" these countries in our likeness...... so sad what is happening in the world resulting in the mass exoduses to foreign lands....

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    1. Jojo, thank you for for reading my blog! Of course ,you are right in your thinking.

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  4. [ am a french woman who reads you everyday, you are the first american I have met with common sense. I have heard too many people say we cant do anything because innocent people will get hurt. I am a survivor of WW2 with an attitude like that Germany and Japan would have ruled the world. Please close the borders and start making sure who is coming in is properly checked, at least president Holland had the common sense to do just that. PC is a scurge. If this attack had happened in the US it would still be debating what to do ... Sorry about this rant I am still a bit shocked. Anyway thank you for your concern, it was very kind, such a rare commodity these days.

    Annie v.

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    1. Well, being raised in Texas by a family who always encouraged thinking globally, a father who encouraged dinner table discussions, it seems norma to me. Most Texas women are like me, we speak our minds when we feel the need. I love frivolity & wit, but at this time I believe it's important for everyone to understand exactly what we really think. With an election a year away, it's imperative, isn't it? Thank you SO much!

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  5. Oh boy like you I am just paralyzed with sadness over this tragedy. I wonder what has happened in a world where we ave created such hatred, vengeance and rage to go and take innocent likes like this? I agree with much of what you have said.....and YES to what you said about Jimmy Carter, I blame him for single handedly changing the course of that relationship forever and our world is still recovering from his horrible leadership and indecisiveness.....definitely worst president in our history!
    On a lighter note:) I will keep everyone in Paris namely the victims and their families in my prayers as they work to get back to some sense of normal. Enjoy your day!

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  6. Marsha, on today's Sabbath Keeping there's a Ben Franklin quote...""We must all hang together,
    or assuredly we shall all hang separately." How we have come from 9/11 to allow...indeed INVITING, terrorists into our countries is beyond my comprehension. Frankly, I support Putin and his decision to bomb them! How obama can claim "Isis is contained" only shows how completely and utterly constipated he is and how he is against the free world.
    There are those who simply adore Jimmy Carter but I'm not a fan. Not only did he totally disrupt Middle East relations, he removed the inner workings and power of the CIA, causing many CIA employees (read spies) to be murdered. Jimmy Carter did much to cause our world to become the unsafe place it is today.

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    1. Sandra, even our Lord would smite these people.
      Thank you !!!

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  7. I don't know the answer -- I don't suppose anyone does. Rant all you want -- you are expressing the feelings of many of us.

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    1. We should ALL be heard, especially at times like this. Thank you for reading my blog. It is always written with truth, as I see it. I am so proud to be well-received today !!!

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  8. I agree with your sentiments 100 percent including about why Truman dropped the bomb. I have said for years that is what should have happened after 9/11.

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  9. I have always admired you for commenting on world events. Some bloggers don't. Girl, you keep ranting and I will keep reading your blog and admiring you. Thank you.

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    1. Judie, you are my kind of woman!!! Thank you so much for this comment.
      xx's

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  10. YOUR RANT is a GOOD ONE!
    YES< we are ALL FRENCH NOW..................
    BIG HUG.
    I did not know you lived in the MIDDLE EAST!
    XO

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  11. Elizabeth, I rant only about twice a year. When I do it's usually out of control for a bit. I just simply cannot understand WHY the West is allowing this to continue when we have the armies to do away with these miserable people & ideology. Of course, it doesn't help that we have a president who seems intent on changing America, degrading America.

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  12. I certainly would not want my son over there fighting those madmen. Would you, Marsha? If only George Bush had not gone into Iraq to find his WMDs. He stirred up a hornet's next and now we are going to have to fix it. Saddam Hussein would have killed far fewer human souls than what has occurred. People were frightened of him and there was no messing around. I certainly was not a fan of his.....but to blame Obama for not wanting to send our young men over there to fight those ignorant people is idiocy. We already had enough of that with Bush.

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    1. Ginny, having lived in the Middle East for awhile I can assure you that the loyalties do not extend beyond the tribal boundaries. Yes, Saddam would have continued to rule with an iron hand. But in my opinion there were WMD's...they just hid them somewhere, maybe out of the country in Syria? Who knows? With all those tunnels they could have moved Everest somewhere else. No, I am definitely not a fan of war or warlike behaviors, and no I definitely would not want my family there now. Both of my husbands were officers in the military. My 1st husband attended VMI, was an officer in the Air Force, my 2nd was an officer in the Navy. I understand why W did what he did. I don't think he made a mistake; you do remember watching as the 2 towers fell don't you? We were united then. A decade later, many of our citizens killed or wounded for life has left a bitter taste in our mouths, I know. "W" should have bombed them then. We cannot win a "limited" war in those countries. I appreciate your thoughts and am happy to have you comment. I wouldn't hurt anything, I believe in the sanctity of life, all life. But if my child went to a concert and never came home I would want to go to war myself. Imagine what it must take for a person to coldly kill other people, young people who were defenseless? They are not thinking. They are opium addicts who are brainwashed. And, the leaders tell them IF they don't follow orders & do their bidding the leaders will kill their entire family & they mean it. Please revisit your thoughts, try to understand we are dealing with maniacs, wild & crazy people convinced they are doing the right thing. If I had been "W" I would have turned the entire region into an Exxon station. At that time the entire would would have understood.

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    2. So well said.
      May the Lord bless you, Marsha.
      w/L

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  13. Dear Marsha I live in South Africa
    So enjoy reading your blog Marsha. Rant all you want. We have our own problems that never seem ending with all the corruption in our government. It is truly so sad what has happened in Paris. The evil of how a person or people can go and kill in cold blood is truly tragic. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of France.

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    1. Marie-Anne, the problems of the world are political. I believe all peoples could live peacefully side-by-side if we didn't have politics and corruption. Very excellent comment. Thank you !!!

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  14. I wonder all the time what would have happened to our world if Jimmy Carter had not
    allowed the Shah to fall. the Shah's family would still be in power today.
    together with the Shah we also had a friend in the King of Jordan.
    those countries were strong, and if they had remained stabilized & friendly to the West.

    I said the same for long time, now. I also lived in Iran, we had to live in the meddle of the of the Revolution. It was so scary. We are Americans, my daughter was 8 years old, at the time. We were there to build all kind of Highways. suppose to take about 10 years in total the construction. I also lived in France, so I feel just like you!. Scary times!.
    I don't think so.

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  15. I certainly hope comments are published even if they don't agree with your opinion.

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    1. Well, anonymous, now you can see that they are published. The only thing I don't publish is SPAM.
      Stay well. Keep reading my blog. I appreciate it !!!

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  16. Your post is certainly thought provoking and so eloquent. I was young and completely uninterested in world events when Carter was President. I had no idea of the events in the Middle East from that time. Your post has lead me to read about it and educate myself. Thank you.

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  17. Marsha, these are sad times. I am heartbroken about this past Friday. My thoughts and prayers ate with all those lost and wounded.

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  18. Maybe Bush should have heeded the warning of 911. Three thousand lives were lost on his watch.The warning was lost in red tape. Three thousand lives. Then he invades Iraq with no proof of WMDs.He accomplished his mission Too much testosterone in Texas. Brains over brawn will win most times.

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    1. If you are so certain you are correct WHY are you anonymous?
      I, personally, do not think you understand global politics. George W Bush was in office from January 20th to Sept 11, that's about 7 months. Perhaps you should ask why Bill Clinton didn't do anything when the truck bombs 1st struck the World Trade Center way way way back. I'm a girly woman, no testosterone at all. Read your history, Anonymous, then open your eyes before you open your mouth.

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    2. Marsha, I have had relatives killed in useless wars. I have had relatives lose their limbs and their brains in useless wars. I have been close to the military. I have lived in Texas. I majored in political science. I taught history. Me thinks thou doest protest too much. You spew what you hear in Texas and need to develop your own ideas. You are NOT proficient in your history. You are caught up in wanting revenge. Try visiting the Veteran's Hospital and see someone that lost both their legs and their mind in a useless. Try reading Dalton Trumbo's "Johnny got his gun." Put your thinking cap on, for the love of man. There are no trenches in Syria. Do you think ISIS can be found that easily? Do you want innocent men and women to die? There are better ways than to have knee-jerk reactions. Being thoughtful about consequences is a start. Think about what might happen. Or do you want the extreme....just wipe out the whole population....like the Nazis wanted to do.

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