This forum is supposed to be anything other than fishing, and over 80 percent of the topics on the first page are : iraq, terror, al quaida(sp), war, and so on. I am in the military and should be on the front of all this, but sometimes you have to step back and deal with life. we cannot stop what is happening and, short of going over and nuking everyone, we will not be able to stop isolated terrorist actions. it is just depressing to see that if these die hard fishermen are not thinking about the best haunts, they are wrapped up in a war and politics that will drive us mad. input ideas? I like to think that fishermen are a group of the worlds most insightful thinkers, we often have large amounts of time to reflect on whats important to us, and I for one want nothing more than to forget about this whole ordeal until my time has come to go over. it is sad to see that a war can last for years in the mind, but the remeberance of thousands who died on 911 has all but pasted our medias attention

What is more important right now than the war in Iraq?

The war on terror? Yeah, but we can't give that our full focus while we are strung out as far as we are in Iraq, militarily or financially.

Politics, that's what's more important. More important to me because in the twenty or so years I've been able to vote I've never been motre disgusted with a presidency than I have been with this one.

Call it venting if you will, but posting on these boards helps me keep my own political thoughts clear in MY mind, if no one elses.

.....besides, I felt like a voice of one before the last election around these parts and took a beating for being Bush hater for a long time.

Now that its like shooting ducks a barrel its fun to watch the other side squirm.

I have been thinking lately that the political discussions are often name calling fights that degenerate fast. That I suppose is because the two sides, if you will, are so far apart. I started out with humor in my mind and a little sarcasm thrown in...Most of us don't know each other and I think if we did the discussons would be a bit different.

I think about how the terror threat is so all consuming and I want to take my grandson fishing and forget all the bad stuff.

And Eric if I had a view in my backyard like you do I would be pretty thankful and I'm sure you believe all the stuff I disagree with. Atleast you put some thought into what you believe..We each think the other is wrong but at the end of the day I think we want to live in peace and enjoy all the outdoor beauty we share in common.

Can I get an AMEN for Grandpa!!! Have a great weekend my friend.

Right on Grandpa, I've been thinking along the same lines.

I also wanted to add that the '2 sides' aren't as far apart as we are pushed\led into thinking. Sure, there are specific topics\issues that we are night and day on, but in reality we all want pretty much the same things (we just don't always agree on the 'right' way to get them...).

I think the multimillion dollar political machine has a self serving agenda and it pushes us and divides us so that all we see in front of us are the dividing issues and not our common ground. Not that i'm claiming 'victom hood' from the 'machine', but you can't doubt it's effectiveness either. And I'm not suggesting the issues we are divided over aren't critical. But I think most of us tend to lean closer to the middle on most issues, but during hot election years we suddenly find our selves being driven farther and farther appart.

Look at how wild and crazed Gore went off the other day. Not to pick on him, but that is a classic example of the machine at work - like an old school southern preacher working his sheep into a frenzy. I'm sure the democrat side can find some repulican examples as well.

Anyway, maybe we can all put politics aside this Memorial Day weekend and remember those who have died for our freedom. The freedom that includes being able to feel passionately about an issue that is different from someone elses - even the current administration. The freedom to live and fish in such a beautiful state with often nothing else on our minds except what river to fish and what to use for bait...

I've never name called and only recently posted any "personal" attack against someone whom I find his entire method is about personal attacks. But I shouldn't stoop to that level. I find, to me right now, there is nothing more important, not even fishing, than the direction we've been taken in this country. And it is absolutely imperative that it be corrected.

The truth of the matter is that 80% of our voting population will vote along party lines 40% repub and 40% dems. That leaves 20% to decide the outcome of the election. Pull out half of this 20% for alternate candidates and that leaves about 10% of the voting pop who will decide our next president. It's a fierce fight form boths sides for that group. I doubt anyone here is in that group and are firmly in the 80% catagory. So no one will change thier minds based on what is said here. We are just having some fun and beating on the ill informed just as you would sitting around the camp fire. Just like sitting around the camp fire if you open your mouth you better be able to take what comes your way. if you want to paly nice join a debate club where they have specific rules so no one gets their feeling hurt.

I don't take this as serious as some and realize I have more in common with some of the folks here that not. I have little sympathy for people posting in a public forum that get their feelings hurt or feel wronged. If you are big enough to crawl in the sand box you should be big enough to deal with some sand in your eyes from time to time. It takes two to tangle if you do not want to tangle then walk away or stand up for your self don't cry foul.

At times, this may be pointless monotiny, but in my mind, this is a form of town hall democracy (those who express views from the right and those from the left and those who have the courage to admit that they haven't made up their minds and are seeking answers). I'm not sure that this is what Jefferson had in mind of democracy when he drafted the constitution, but it has its place in allowing an interactive expression of views.

TK, I'm not sure how you know that no one will be impacted by what is said here. Actually, I think its quite possible that people are influenced by what they read and write here, if nothing more to better understand their own positions.

I was just looking at fins-n-feathers and there was a guy posting from Ireland on catching fish in the salt with a flyrod. How cool!

Don't worry about me TK. My feelings don't get hurt by anybody and I've yet to see why anyone would worry about what you think. I just find it very simplistic and immature to constantly resort to personal attacks. You are not a good debater.

Stlhd,

Your skin is too thin if you call those personal attacks. Lighten up! Calling someone a moron is not a personal attack when they act like one!

wow, first time I looked at this thread since posting. I guess I lead the thread in a wayward direction by lack of guidance on the input desired. I talked with a gentleman today who seemed to think that the pentagon was struck by a f-16 directed stinger missile (since it was not televised like the towers) I just get tired of hearing retoric, we here what is publicized, you could go on for days about the abu prison camp and who really knows the story? before you awnser how many of you were in the military? I am in now and here is the run down. the CMC sends out a message to "be safe", the the general sends out a message refering the the CMC saying not only will we be safe but we will do so by not driving after dark, then the Col. sends out a message referencing the above two saying that not only will we be safe and not drive after dark, but we will also carry a first aid kit in our car where ever we go during the day while being safe. then to top everything off, the local unit commander sends out a message saying that we will be safe while not driving at night only after ensuring we have a first aid kit on board and to make sure we are, we will report back to work the morning after being secured for the weekend and the night before returning to work to make sure that we are being safe. this is the type of ass protecting the goverment is in the business of. they are not worried about our safety, they are worried about thier ass's thats why the officers got letters of reprimand and the soldiers are facing courts martial ! bullsh!t in my book and it should be in yours to. politics is not a place I want to waste my time, in my opinion, the voting system and the candidates involved are a battle we will never win, those who say that money and power have nothing to do with it are full of shiate, why else does the bush family have several members in HIGH places, the kenedies( chime in here I know there are others) polotics is all about who you know sure we have the freedom to vote for who we want, they give us the choice of 2-3 people who have the fincial and social backing to make it on the ballot. I have not and never will vote until the common man has the power to say" we want ned the local barber to be president" this will never happen because the campaigning that would be required would be concidered a riot. just my 2 cents flame away in the end I have a half ounce of truth in there if nothing else

wow, first time I looked at this thread since posting. I guess I lead the thread in a wayward direction by lack of guidance on the input desired. I talked with a gentleman today who seemed to think that the pentagon was struck by a f-16 directed stinger missile (since it was not televised like the towers) I just get tired of hearing retoric, we here what is publicized, you could go on for days about the abu prison camp and who really knows the story? before you awnser how many of you were in the military? I am in now and here is the run down. the CMC sends out a message to "be safe", the the general sends out a message refering the the CMC saying not only will we be safe but we will do so by not driving after dark, then the Col. sends out a message referencing the above two saying that not only will we be safe and not drive after dark, but we will also carry a first aid kit in our car where ever we go during the day while being safe. then to top everything off, the local unit commander sends out a message saying that we will be safe while not driving at night only after ensuring we have a first aid kit on board and to make sure we are, we will report back to work the morning after being secured for the weekend and the night before returning to work to make sure that we are being safe. this is the type of ass protecting the goverment is in the business of. they are not worried about our safety, they are worried about thier ass's thats why the officers got letters of reprimand and the soldiers are facing courts martial ! bullsh!t in my book and it should be in yours to. politics is not a place I want to waste my time, in my opinion, the voting system and the candidates involved are a battle we will never win, those who say that money and power have nothing to do with it are full of shiate, why else does the bush family have several members in HIGH places, the kenedies( chime in here I know there are others) polotics is all about who you know sure we have the freedom to vote for who we want, they give us the choice of 2-3 people who have the financial and social backing to make it on the ballot. I have not and never will vote until the common man has the power to say" we want ned the local barber to be president" this will never happen because the campaigning that would be required would be concidered a riot. just my 2 cents flame away in the end I have a half ounce of truth in there if nothing else

sorry its aol's fault not mine