The Kids are Alright-

[asdjrocky]

Disclaimer- I've sworn off GDP for good reason, it really has made my life much better, but I don't know where else to post this, and it's been on my mind for some time now. This OP is not meant to be an endorsement of any candidate, and it is strictly my opinion.

I want to say I’m not a Hillary supporter. And I also want to say I’m not an Obama supporter.

But I have to say I do love the kids. I love you young, rude gloriously loud and proud kids. Sometimes hopelessly ill informed, often times quick to jump, fight scrap and yell, all full of passion and spit and they are all completely and totally wonderful. Man, I have to tell you, some of you kids have pissed me off to the point that I want to come out onto my porch and yell at you all, “Get the hell off of my lawn!” And while it may sound completely and totally insane, I want to thank all of you for just being the little bastards that you are. Every single one of you glorious young bastards just makes me so proud.

When I saw the kids walk the seven miles, a thousand of them just to vote early, I felt optimism, and the old rebel inside of me, smiled broadly. At the Nevada Caucus, where I was a proud Precinct Captain for Edwards, for two different precincts, my heart skipped a beat when I saw 15 young African Americans come in at the last minute to stand for Obama. And yes, though I was for Edwards, it skipped a good beat, and I was real proud of the kids, but if the truth were fully revealed here, I’d have to say I was glad they were not coming in to vote in one of my precincts. When my seventeen-year-old daughter called me and told me she had sent Obama 15 bucks, yeah, it made me very proud Dad.

Now, here’s the rub, you have to take that same energy, that same dedication and unbridled enthusiasm, and be ready to put that to work to holding his feet to the fire if in fact he does get the nomination, and win the white house. We start out falling in love, but eventually, we must understand that they are all politicians in the end, and they will do first what is best for them, and it’s our job to make sure that the American people place a close second.

So go on with yourselves and go out there and kick some ass you beautiful little bastards of us old folks, baby boomers, and the few of the greatest generation that still walk among us. The work doesn’t end with the primary, or even the general election, and you kids must know this fact beyond anything else. Make sure your guy gets the nomination, get him a good VP, push like the crazy stinking bastards that you are and get him in the White House. After that, your work really begins. It’s your job to make sure he is more than just a face, and a speech. He will not push a true Progressive agenda without you guys on his back every single step of the way, none of them will. All of them, and I do mean all of them, will take that happy path of least resistance, your job as Activists, as Americans, as the god-damned kids, is to make sure that path is unavailable to President Obama. You stand in the middle of the road. You hold up signs. You, and no one else, will point the direction of this countries future. Don’t let us down.

Can I trust you kids, all right, and you grown-ups that are still Kool-Aid drinking kids at heart, to ride him like a rented pony once he’s safely in the oval office? Will you ride Congress as well? Because believe me, that’s when the star fucking ends, and the President making begins.

I’ll say this, if you fall down on the job, if you make that decision that it is indeed easier to go along to get along, I’ll be the first old fart out on my front porch telling you kids to get the hell off of my lawn. I’ll make it my life’s mission to ride you kids like you should be riding your government. If you go after the powers that be, and don’t let up in your youthful zeal and determination, and you teach your children the same, I’ll bring you all ice cream cones. You’ll know me as that nice old fart, not the mean one, with the lawn fetish. Trust me, I can be one mean old bastard.

When Pete Townshend was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, some dumb young reporter, no doubt from MTV, asked him what he thought of todays's music, and Pete, in his honest and direct style that I've always admired said, "It's not our job to buy it, it's not even our job to like it, it's our job to get the fuck out of the way."

So I’m stepping aside, I’m getting the fuck out of the way, and I salute you glorious young lunatics as you march on. Just don’t stop marching, because me, and a lot more like me, are keeping a close eye on every step.

Pete Townshend is also the guy responsible for “The Kids are Alright”, and I’ve wanted to say for a long time, you’re all alright with me. Go get em kids!

[asdjrocky]

1. Wow, no one?

[alteredstate]

18. I love your posts.

You're good with words, Rocky.

[asdjrocky]

25. Thanks alteredstate, and it's good to see you. n/t

[NOLALady]

2. I'm not a kid.

But, it's a glorius feeling to know that the younguns are carrying the torch.

Great Post!

[asdjrocky]

3. Thank you so much.

I know from being out there that it's not all kids that support him, but it's a good part of his support, and I love it.

[Georgie_92]

4. I Just LOVE it!

[asdjrocky]

7. Hey Georgie!

Thanks for checking in, and welcome to DU !

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Thanks from a former--way former--kid.

You make a great point. Let's hope lots of the youngest stick around for a long, long time.

[asdjrocky]

6. Let's make sure Johnny-

Like the song says, teach your children well.

[KoKo]

8. I don't support either of them...but glad to see the kids having a hero that isn't a Sports Player..

It's probably a good thing..somewhere there..

[asdjrocky]

31. It can only be a good thing.

[sandnsea]

9. Is this true about John Edwards too?

"We start out falling in love, but eventually, we must understand that they are all politicians in the end, and they will do first what is best for them, and it’s our job to make sure that the American people place a close second."

If it's true about all of them, then why are you on the sidelines. And if it isn't true of Edwards, then how dare you say it about Obama when you haven't got a speck of evidence to prove it.

[asdjrocky]

10. Thanks, and have a nice day tiger.

By the way, I don't need a single speck of evidence to have an opinion.

Sidelines? Far from it. Bill Durston is running in Ca-03 for Lungrens seat, he's a solid Dem with true Progressive credentials. A good man, Charlie Brown, is running in Ca-04 for Do-Nothings seat and he's got a real shot at it. Oh yeah, we've got a great guy named Don Wiviott in NM-03 who only needs 20% at the state convention on March 15 to walk to the Hill. Want one more? Welcome to Judy Baker in Mo-09, where they are going to turn Missouri blue.

Don't accuse me of sitting on the sidelines, ever. As far as the President is concerned? I'll vote for the Dem.

By the way, love the righteous indignation, looks good on you.

[sandnsea]

11. Answer the question n/t

[asdjrocky]

14. Are you mental or something?

Of course Edwards was a politician, they're all politicians. Christ, I've been keeping my eyes on those guys all my life. I stated many times here that if Edwards won, I'd hold his feet to the fire like anyone.

Did I answer your question? Or are you now just going to stomp away mad?

[sandnsea]

19. Are you an asshole or something?

I asked a simple question. If they're all shit, then why does one matter to you more than the rest.

[asdjrocky]

20. Yes, I'm an asshole who hates people that make snide,

backhanded remarks. I know that makes me a bad person.

[sandnsea]

21. I asked you to support a statement you made

What the fuck is your problem???

[asdjrocky]

23. What statement did you want me to support?

That Obama is a politician? For crying-out-loud, he is a Senator from Illinois that is running for President. How is he not a politician? In what way did my OP hurt your feelings? There is not a single other person that has responded to it that has a problem with it.

Maybe I should ask what your problem is? I will sum up my problem with you, quite simply, I don't like you, and I wish you would stop talking to me.

Fair enough?

[Riktor]

40. Great job, fanboy...

... you completely missed the point.

The OP isn't about ragging on one candidate over the over, it's about the mindless follower mentality you so exhibit.

[nonconformist]

35. The answer to your first question is YES. nt

[asdjrocky]

36. Yeah, I should know better-

It's been a while since I've been in GDP.

[JerseygirlCT]

12. Yes

And one of the things I've heard from Obama that I like best is the idea that *he* isn't going to solve our problems. *We* must do that. He's absolutely right. And someone ready to help inspire people to do just that is a good thing, IMO.

I'm totally with you on the kids, too. I've got one of them, and he's so damned well-informed. Makes me proud!

[asdjrocky]

17. Crazy ain't it? And damn good to see.

[TheZug]

13. Outta my brain, on the train, on the train, whoo, I'm outta my brain.

[asdjrocky]

16. That would be the 5:15 my friend.

And a good welcome to DU !

[K Gardner]

15. We will talk, he will listen. We will not always agree. He won't be

a perfect president, but he'll be our president. We'll hold his feet to the fire, and he will let us and encourage us to do so. He is taking my voice, and your voice, with him. This monstrous coilition, this unparalelled revolution, has been created to bring about change.. because he knows he cannot do it himself. He knows we have to do it together.

Good to hear from you, Rocky

[asdjrocky]

24. Hiya K! It's good to see you!

It's going to take a lot of people working together, this I know. I hope to see everyone that is supporting him now, carry on that level of involvement.

[grantcart]

32. and that may be Obama's most endearing quality - he actually knows he won't be perfect

I think Michelle has that "kick him in the pants thing" all worked out. This could actually be fun.

[Zachstar]

22. Good topic

Thanks for the read!

[asdjrocky]

28. Thanks, happy to do it. n/t

[Nutmegger]

26. R&K

Good to see you tonight.

[asdjrocky]

27. Hey Nutmegger!

Another Saturday night with nothing to do. I have such a great social life.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

29. Most excellent post.

[asdjrocky]

30. Most excellent reply.

[grantcart]

33. The kids always are alright until the system beats it out of them. k/r

[asdjrocky]

34. I hear you on that. n/t

[grantcart]

37. well maybe you can come back to DGP and help us grind it out of them lol

I remember walking in a store in a small town we lived in briefly where everyone knew my youngest daughter when she was about 5 years old and was just about the happiest child to have ever walked the earth. She was a different race than this lily white town and they were just facinated with her. One time when I was in the store walking up the aisle a woman remarked too me< "that is the happiest child I have ever seen, she is just full of joy". Without skipping a beat I replied, "Don't worry ma'am we are on top of it and we will beat it out of her before it becomes too infectious". The poor woman was not ready for some city sarcastic wit and I thought was ready to faint until I winked at her.

[asdjrocky]

38. I find with many people the wink in mandatory. Sad but true.

[Silver Gaia]

39. Well said, Rocky. n/t

[asdjrocky]

44. Hiya Joolz, thanks for the reply!

[taterguy]

41. I liked that song / movie title a lot more before I found out that Townsend was into child porn

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

43. He was cleared off all charges. He was not into child porn.

[asdjrocky]

45. He's not.

And by the way, Shakespear was a real pig too.

[Catherina]

42. YES WE CAN!!!

We can trust them. You wrote a beautiful post. I'm not a kid anymore but I think I'm young enough to promise you we won't stop marching.

[asdjrocky]

46. My point is, I don't trust him.

I don't trust any of them. But I do trust you guys, so ya gotta keep marching.

[VolcanoJen]

47. Now, this is an excellent post.

[asdjrocky]

48. Thanks you Jen.