Individual views of Americans differ from opinions of media
By Tom Daniels
Skiff Staff

After watching the news and listening to reports of what is wrong in America today according to the major networks, it often becomes frustrating to hear the slant that is put on the news and the bias the anchors often let show in their reporting.

The more I listened to them, the more I began to realize that their view of what America should be is far different than mine.

The message that is implied is that I am a bad American because:

I believe that taxes are too high and that congressmen and congresswomen are over compensated and overpaid.

I believe in the Constitution of the United States in the spirit that it was written by our founding fathers.

I believe in the Bill of Rights in its entirety, that includes the Second, Fourth and Fifth amendments.

I believe in God.

I believe in smaller government, a well-funded military, veterans’ rights and I salute the American flag.

I believe in the Boy Scouts of America and the right to teach Christian morals to its members.

I believe in equal treatment under the law and not in special treatment to those who can afford it.

I believe no one has ever died because of an Ozzy Osbourne or Judas Priest song. I also believe that I shouldn’t have to listen to it because you don’t own headphones.
I don’t hate the rich, they provide us with jobs.

I don’t hate the poor, but don’t want to support those who refuse to work.

I own a gun and feel every American has the same right to do so. I also believe that if that gun is used in a crime, then the person using it should be punished under the law.
I reserve the right to shoot the masked man crawling in my bedroom window at 3 a.m. Just as I would expect him to do the same to me if I were to break into his home.

I believe individuals should take responsibility for their own actions and be held accountable for those actions.

I believe a person commits a crime because he or she chose to commit the crime, not because society, Iron Maiden, the movie “Taxi Driver” or the neighbor’s dog made him or her do it.

I believe that a person who kills a white man should get the same punishment as someone who kills a black man.

I believe the police have the right to shoot a fleeing felon. I also believe that same police officer needs to talk to me without showing contempt when he comes to my door.

It doesn’t take a village; it takes a willing and empowered parent to raise a child.

I believe it’s not the responsibility of the public school system to give my child condoms, train him to be Islamic, teach him how to have sex or indoctrinate him into the socialist agenda. It is the responsibility of the public school system to assist me in teaching my child to read, write and multiply.

I believe the Pledge of Allegiance should be recited not only in our schools but in our Congress.

I never owned a slave, no one in my family tree ever owned a slave, but many died in the Civil War to free them.

I believe that coffee is hot and if I spill it on my lap it is my own fault, not the fault of the person who sold it to me.

I know what lying is.

I know what the meaning of the word is is.

I once took an oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. I believe we all can do our part in this by voting Tom Daschle, Dick Gephardt, Martin Meehan, John McCain, Arlan Specter and Hillary Clinton out of office.

I love my country and have put my life on the line to defend it. I believe that every one of the more than 1.2 million Americans that have died serving this great nation of ours is a hero, and I will honor their memory. I am not a bad American but I am damn proud to be an American.

God bless America.

Tom Daniels is a sophomore education major from Fort Worth.
He can be contacted at (b.t.daniels@student.tcu.edu).

credits

TCU Daily Skiff © 2002