Values: Just a Thought or Two

By Rich Kozlovich

I just saw a great ad for sweat shirts and t-shirts with great sayings.  Here are my favorites, with a bit of paraphrasing on my part, especially since someone there clearly had me in mind when they developed these sayings.  So I turned them into conversations.    Here are five conversations I've developed from those sayings.  

Conversation with nitwits.

You know that little voice inside your head that keeps you from saying things you shouldn't say. Yeah, I don't have that.  Sorry, did I roll my eyes out loud?  I've had my patience tested.  I'm negative.  Stupid people are like glow sticks. I want to snap them and shake the crap out of them until the light comes on.  I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right.  I'm going to let God fix it. Because if I fix it I'm going to jail. I may look calm, but in my head, I've slapped you three times.

 

Conversation with halfwits.

 

Think while it's still legal.  I may be wrong, but that's highly unlikely, because that's what I do. I read books, I drink tea, I know things.  Of course I talk to myself.  Sometimes I need expert advice.

 

Conversation with my wife.

 

If I said I'll fix it I will.  There's no need to remind me every six months. My favorite people call me Papa.  Admit it. Life would be boring without me. It's weird being the same age as old people. 

 

Conversation with millennials, Gen X'ers, etc.

 

No, I can’t do Snapchat or Tik Tok, but I can write in cursive, do math without a calculator and tell time on a clock with hands.  

And finally, a conversation with traditionalists.

December 7th came and passed and hardly anyone seemed to remember December 7th, 1941 was supposed to be a date that would live in infamy.  No matter how pro or anti military one may be, it must be recognized, the willingness to embrace solid traditional values and stand up for those values is foundational to a stable society.  So when asked what is a veteran?  Here's the answer.

A veteran is someone who at one point in their life wrote a black check made payable to the people of this nation, for an amount up to and including their life.  That's honor, and there are way too many people who no longer understand that.

So, having said all that, I would like to draw your attention to my Monday, November 11, 2019 Movie Review: Midway saying:

Typically, I don’t do sports or entertainment on Paradigms and Demographics unless there’s some social commentary involved. I’m making an exception today. World War II has always been emotional for me. My father and uncles fought in it, some were never the same again. My father was in the Navy and took part in seven major invasions, and actually saw the flag raising on Iwo Jima.

Yesterday evening I went to see the new Midway movie. This isn’t a remake of the old movie, and I can honestly say this will be numbered among the best Word War II movies ever. I’ve seen a lot of movies on Pearl Harbor, Midway, Jimmy Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo, and I think this one is the absolute best dealing with this subject, especially in the time frame of 2 hours and 18 minutes. The time does not drag I assure you. In the past movies on these subjects spent way too much screen time on sub-stories and personal relationships that didn’t enhance the main story, and in this case the battle of Midway. 

 

However, this version isn’t just about the Battle of Midway. It takes in the entire context of the war at that time, starting with the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor, and I can assure you there never was a more convincing demonstration of the devastation that took place than you will see in this movie. The special effects were startling, amazing and heart breaking. Then they covered the attack on Tokyo by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, and ended with the battle of Midway.

The sub stories enhance the main theme, which was all about the heroism and sacrifice by a lot of very young men who went into battle knowing they were facing an enemy with superior numbers and equipment. Pilots attacked the Japanese fleet with substandard planes and equipment knowing they were probably not coming back. I found watching the scenes showing so many of them being blown up very emotional.

I also think Woody Harrelson did an excellent job of portraying Admiral Nimitz. However, this wasn’t a movie that was cast driven. There were some well-known stars, but they were in supporting roles. The star was the story, and done by actors I’d never heard of before. It was a story that needed to be told in the way it was told, and by the actors who told it.

This movie was all about the story, and sacrifice.  

Describing this war in the movie “In Harm’s Way”, Commander Eddington tells Captain Rockwell Torrey, “Old Rock of Ages, we've got ourselves another war. A gut bustin', mother-lovin' Navy war.”  That  movie was fictional.  This movie shows just how gut busting it really was. 

 

This movie depicts another generation. 

 

This movie shames the current generation.

I found it very emotional.   See it.