OPINION – Want to know what I think of football?
I see 22 men in need of rest being observed by 22 million in need of exercise.
There I said it. It’s a spectator game gala that I do not find worth the time it takes to track the whole season long.
I do however watch the Superbowl. When it comes down to the best of the best, when it’s been hashed out over a long season and the referees have made the final calls (ha!), it is worth it to me to see a championship game. I suspect there are a few people out there who take this approach to spectator sports of all kinds.
But sadly, those same people of the spectator genre administer this Pavlovian attitude to their political decisions and it is costing our country dearly.
A common theme in the rhetoric and banter of the armchair politicos is the diminishing quality in our choice of candidates for president.
In fact, not new to the conversation by a stretch, but resurgent with some new vigor, is the mindset that not voting at all is the only true form of rebuttal against being given such poor choices. (Or, the proposition that a vote for a third party is tantamount to not voting.)
Is it possible that the attitude of those who wait until the championship games to watch a sports series translates as a root cause of some of our election woes?
All year, every year, our elected officials are hard at work doing their jobs of representing the interests of their constituencies. Okay, that’s also a stretch, I know. They say they are doing that but they are more likely working hard to please the lobbyists who represent the corporations who pay them.
But who is to blame for this?
You are, armchair politico.
Had you been paying attention during the regular season you might have had a chance to refute and oppose a crappy bill or to at least make a mental note of who not to vote for and why.
Had you been attending your city council meetings and paying attention to things they are passing with little opposition, you could have made your voice heard and perhaps provoked a change of course.
Had you been fully awake and aware during the regular season you might have been acutely aware of not only the issues and now possess firsthand knowledge of how those in office handled them.
But instead, much like our end-of-season armchair spectators, you armchair politicos spend a few fleeting moments in the postseason seeing who is still in the running; and, when it comes down to the championship – or the elections – you make your decision from a loosely-based and uninformed state.
In the grand scheme of things, the winner of a championship game matters little.
But the winners of elections matter much.
In years passing like minutes, we the American people have witnessed an all out assault on our civil liberties administered with exacting impunity by those we have haphazardly put into office.
You have no one to blame but yourself.
What are you going to do about it?
See you out there.
Dallas Hyland is an opinion columnist. The opinions stated in this article are his and not representative of St. George News.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @dallashyland
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2012, all rights reserved.
Yes, people are stupid and lazy, Mr. Hyland, and the drugged masses are 100% responsible for the insanity of the system–a truly brilliant insight. Forgive my sarcasm, but these rants are ridiculous. Let me know if you ever start writing anything of substance, because this crap just isn’t cutting it. I don’t know if you’re really a simpleton, or if this is just a farce. Please tell me it’s the latter.
“Let me know if you ever start writing anything of substance”, not a problem, why dont you come out of your trolling shell and let us all know who you all and how to contact you, I’m sure there are a few people who would love to let you know about their substance writing.
As for the article, I felt like it was a very fair and centered based opinion, very different from the more reaction inducing pieces that drive this particular industry.
Yeah, I’m sure they’d like to let me know about their “substance writing.” Daniel, judging by the way you write, I’m guessing you’re a moron. Am I right?
Thanks for the honest and well intended advice. And, for inadvertently affirming the point of the article about the armchair politicos who address the problems of the world from the comfort of anonymity, ill informed banter, and rapacious sarcasm. Please be assured that even you have a place in the process.
Perhaps you could offer up an example of this substantive writing you are pining for. I am sure it will pass all fact checks and an editor’s muster with flying colors.
Meantime, I will do my best to improve in my endeavors as a consistently published writer. Please know your qualified opinion matters to me.
Dallas, there is nothing wrong your comments and writing. You’ve succeeded in getting some to stop and think, some to ponder, and some to comment. In the case of Murat, he jumped right to comment before any thought. 99% of the time posts by Murat are filled only with acrid filth, hate, and his own egocentric opinions with nothing to support them. I’ll look forward to your next publication.
Hey, look. I’m published! Big deal, Hyland. It’s amusing to me how you think so highly of your (at best) laughably mediocre track record in getting your inconsequential and dull drivel published by dubious sources. And it’s beyond me why you feel the need to make a silly and pointless contribution to the cyclical push by the media to affirm the value of getting involved in politics and voting. As for the content of this regrettable piece, I will say that it displays a ridiculously simple-minded treatment of systemic problems in our society. Finally, you can see my work when it’s finished and peddled by a real publisher.
yawn….yawn…and more yawn. Murat, your ranting, ranting, and more ranting…punctuated by your assessment of people is both incorrect and very revealing about yourself. Those that profess to know a lot about something usually don’t. It is kind of like a 18 year old screaming at the top of their lungs, “I’m an adult!”. So, I suggest that you lead by example and comment with substance. I’m concerned that you’ll soon develop carpal tunnel syndrome from all your posts and then try and sue either the library (as they provided you the computer) or stgeorgeutah.com because they provoked you to type so much.
The quality of your example indicates that you’re an idiot. Try again.
…in addition to your childlike grasp of the English language. Peasant.
I’ll look forward to seeing your writing where ever you wind up.
Best of luck to you.
Although I’m a admitted happy peasant, I’m generally sick of your negative comments. When you can’t think of anything constructive (which is most of the time) you just call names. My grasp of the English language, admittedly, isn’t the best but my actions do speak much louder than my words. I’m tired of your pollution (you putting down everyone) and will continue to reply to your negative filth that you spew every time your fingers hit the keyboard. Your words scream volumes of your character and lack of concern for human life. Like I have said before, your lonely, bitter life is a consequence of such behaviors. I hope you can learn from your behaviors.
I’m doubtful of your sincerity, Hyland. Nevertheless, well played.
Dallas, I enjoy your writing and also your chats with Brian and Kate. Murat is a troll and no matter what is posted he is against it and has some sudo-intellectual rebuttal but had yet to show any education or intellectually based comments. My current count on what he “does” for a living sits at 13 different jobs. Last was a security expert. Anonymity sure allows those who lead a sad existence to lord over others.
Although you are a typical, mediocre worker with inferior genetics, you can still strive for more in life, as I have, and you can start by looking up a Kindergarten lesson plan on counting, which is a crucial skill. I have not claimed to hold 13 different jobs. You think I have because you’re incapable of maintaining an accurate count. Start with the basics, and perhaps you can progress to high-level cognition, although I’m highly doubtful of this possibility based on my observation of your consistent mediocrity.
Lol you assume I actually cared enough to really count. You attitude and demeanor are what belong on a kindergarten class. One day you’ll be able to hold an adult conversation but until then stay at the kiddie table and let the adults talk. For all your big words you add little of value to any conversation. Maybe we should change the topic to the backyardigans or Dora the explorer so you can understand what is being discussed. Just try not to be afraid of the talking map this time.
I am superior to you. That is the truth, and apparently you cannot handle it. Try not to get so worked up over my posts. The stress will probably end up causing a cancer within you, ultimately putting an end to your particularly cancerous existence. It would be a shame.
I was sincere. I have put that challenge out to a few people and some have risen to it. I even offer to proof read for them.
“Nicely played…”
Thanks I suppose. Although it is worth mentioning that I suspect there is more to you than the remedial game of tit for tat you are engaging in on our site. It only took two moves to figure that out however… Surely the supercilious banter of yours is intentional ad hominem with a purpose. I shudder the thought that it is literally all you have…
My email is on the page should you elect to wrestle matters of consequence in a discourse more suitable for the post pubescent.
I’ve read your stuff. You’re a hack and you shouldn’t be mentoring people.
I stand corrected.
This really is all you have.
My door remains open.
I’ll never venture through the door to your goofy shack. Get real.
Your won’t step out because you know that you have no skill or knowledge beyond being an internet troll. The outside world requires real qualifications, and actual knowledge, not just a keyboard and a thesaurus to make you sound educated. I’ll place money on the fact that my children have a better education than you. The only reason you have such haughty words when someone challenges you is the fact that you don’t have what it takes to make a real contribution to society, or for that matter to debate anything requiring knowledge on any topic.
You’re a dullard and your children are embarrassments, Dsull. The fact that you all have deficient IQs and inferior genetics is no reason to blindly hate on others. If you want to keep trying to make me feel bad, that’s your problem. It’s also futile because I have a clean consciense. I’m simply pointing out a lackluster thought-process as well as inferior writing. Troll.
St. George News abhors censorship and embraces free speech.
It is part of our commitment to our community to welcome engaged discussion throughout all of St. George News.
Therefore, productive discussion here is welcome; but this thread is now closed to further exchange of insults.