An AARP rant for you whippersnappers

[eileen from OH]

Yeah, I'm glad that AARP members are letting the leadership of that organization have it. But I resent like SHIT being categorized (as we were on Best of the Blogs) as these feisty "old folks" and "old farts". As I posted in response. . .

"As a mature woman, who has grey cells to match her grey hairs, lemme tell ya that I sure as shit don't appreciate being labeled. . . We ol' Dems busted Nixon, we busted Vietnam, and we sure as hell can bust Bush. When this generation starts producing heroes the like of Ellsburg or Berrigan you can start with the cute li'l old people names. To channel Jack Palance, we have turds bigger than you, buster."

eileen from OH

[Cleita]

1. I'm with you Eileen.

:yourock:

[BuckeFushe]

2. We may be the single largest voting block

But we are generally ignored by the young and politicians until they need something.:)

[BurtWorm]

3. But can you crush the AARP?

Show the world how powerful you are. I'm rooting for you to do it. Crush the AARP.

[eileen from OH]

7. We go to the polls

. .. nuff said. and as of 2002 we sure as shit will check the chads.

eileen from OH

[BurtWorm]

8. With all due respect, going to the polls is not enough.

This betrayal is a moment of crisis that has to be addressed with forceful action. AARP needs to be sent a message that they can't betray their membership and get away with it. This bill must be defeated, and AARP must be punished for being on the wrong side.

[eileen from OH]

11. considering the US voting percentages

while going to the polls is, indeed, not enough, over 55-ers are sure as shit doing more than any other age group is doing right now. (hence, my rant on the condescending way in which our protest against AARP was being portrayed.)

And, yes, we DO need to send AARP a strong message. And we're doing just that. Whether or not we're successful remains to be seen. But, see, we've had our baptism by fire, in Vietnam, and we're STILL truckin'

I want to see that same fire and organization and yes, heroes, in the younger generation. That's all.

eileen from OH

[BurtWorm]

13. I totally agree with you, and I think, in fact,

that the younger generation, so to speak, better get on board this fight, because this is about them, too. If the line against privatization can't be held on Medicare, it sure as hell won't be held on SS. This counter-revolution does not have the support of the people, but the people better--all of the people--better let them know that.

[WilliamPitt]

4. Fish. Barrel. Boom.

Nice shootin', ma'am. I'm with ya. :)

[madrchsod]

5. well i`m with you

my grey hair says i`ve seen alot kids but this son of a bitch is the worse and you better do something about it-vote him out-

[Wwagsthedog]

6. AARP executives are a pretty sad bunch for sure

but AARP does have some good things about it. One of them is a program they co-sponsor with the IRS (yes, THEM) called Tax-Aide. I volunteer with many others to do free tax returns for the elderly and near indigent. The thought crossed my mind that I should stop helping out with this effort because of AARP's stance on Medicare. No, I won't let the idiots in Washington, including those at AARP, stop me from helping out people who need it.

[Kanary]

10. Tax Returns

For what it's worth, Wwagsthedog, (great screen name!), there are many organizations which help seniors, disabled and other worthy folx with their tax and refund papers. You and I are both old enough to make our own decisions, so I'm certainly not going to advise you on decision making. If you stay with AARP in order to help people, that's great, and I support you. IF you decide to vote with your feet, that's great, I support you, and know you can do much the same thing with other organizations.

It's always a kick in the head when an organization which does good also turns around and bites the very people they have been helping. That's why the outrage is so huge..... a very large sense of betrayal. My sad guess is this is why so many seniors will be following the AARP line, and encouraging their reps to vote FOR the bill... because they have felt for so many years that AARP was in their corner, received help on taxes or other projects, and doesn't want to believe that they have been betrayed. It's all such a colossal bummer.

What we so desparately need as we get older is to have organizations and people we can trust. We've lived long enough to have been bitten a number of times, and we don't need more reason to distrust and become cynical.

FIE ON THE JERKS!!

Kanary

[Wwagsthedog]

12. Thanks for the kind response.

Can you provide the names of other organizations which help with taxes? Maybe I can help out there too.

[dolstein]

9. "We ol' Dems busted Nixon, we busted Vietnam" -- NOT!!

Sorry to shatter your dreams, but the Dems didn't bust Nixon -- he was elected in 1968 and re-elected in a landslide four years later. Nixon brought about his own downfall by engaging in criminal conduct and getting caught. You could thank Woodward and Berstein, and Katherine Graham for sticking by her reporters, but you can't credit those pesky 'ol Dems for busting Nixon. Hell, they helped elect him in the first place by trashing Johnson and then Humphrey, and helped re-elect him by nominating the hopeless McGovern.

Ditto for Vietnam. The war protesters can certainly claim credit for ending Lyndon Johnson's political career -- but they also helped revive Nixon's political career, and Nixon continued to wage war in Vietnam -- and beyond -- for years to come.

[Lisa]

14. anybody else in favor of banning the "f-word" (feisty) from the media?

I'm getting sick of the way they routinely use it when talking about anyone who's 50+, usually with a condescending little smirk. One of the most horrible examples was during some recent coverage of memorial services on Nov 11th, and the newscaster was referring to a WWI combat veteran as if he were some cutesy, amusing little old caricature.

[BurtWorm]

15. Feisty:50+-ers::articulate:African-Americans

[JohnGideon]

16. I Spent A Lot Of Sundays In Griffith Park In LA

protesting Viet Nam. (Well, the dope was good too) It took 30+ years to get reenergized and out there fighting. We do need the Gen-(whatevers) to get out there and speak out. Don't worry, we'll do our part.

[sandnsea]

17. GO Eileen!

Hehe, you told 'em!