I’m not sure how to accurately measure the “loudness” of American discontent, are you?
Were we louder in 2005 when the Iraq war was headed south, torture became publicized, and whatever else was perceived by some as drastically wrong with the country? Or is it now louder in 2009 with deficits, tea parties, health care and nuclear disarmament? If we had a national decibel meter what would it tell us?
Maybe the overall volume would be about the same but the tone would be recognizably different. In 2005 it would have a very high pitch because all the left wing panty waists (girly men) were yelling. In 2009 it would be a deep throated roar of “real men”.
How do you quell a mob using whatever tone and volume it chooses to use? The technique in most “civilized” countries is to surround them with physical restraints (police, road blocks, fences, etc) and let them yell themselves silly.
Konrad Heid recently published a thoughtful guest column in the Globe asking about the American Spirit. Not a single online comment came close to addressing much less answering the question. Instead everyone commenting formed the all too familiar circular firing squad and took aim at other commenter’s. Mr. Heid and his real point were left in the dust.
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Opinion
<img src=" http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/blog.gif" border=0> Anson Burlingame blog: DECIBLES
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Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
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Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
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Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
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Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
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Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
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Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
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Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
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Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
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Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
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Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
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Our View: Victims should come first
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