Rekindle all that is American

I was pretty disappointed with the lackluster commemoration around the nation on the 13th anniversary of 9/11. Because there was very little fanfare, I don’t think people are paying attention – or, maybe they just don’t remember the outrage, sorrow and hurt that struck our nation that fateful day. We need to regain the pride that is America, and remember the day that was the worst of times, but brought about the best in us as Americans. We need to stand up for who we are, our beliefs and what we’re about. I recommend watching 9/11 specials such as “Nine Innings from Ground Zero” and my tribute at www.edhoffman.net, so that we can teach our children how America united in solidarity on that tragic day. This will also help us impart to them the need to embrace those principles and values that make us American.

President Barack Obama delivered a 15-minute speech to the American people last Wednesday that laid out his strategy for destroying ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria). As usual, when his speech is written for him and he has a teleprompter to refer to, the President sounds smooth and tough; regardless, it seems clear that he continues to lack guts. First, he declares that America will stop ISIS; then, he says we’re going to manage them before toggling back to saying that we intend to destroy them. Whatever you believe about ISIS, it’s hard to deny that they are the terrorist group that gained power as a result of the vacuum President Obama left when he withdrew all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

In his speech, the President presented a tough delivery – but to avoid political suicide by criticizing Islam, he made a couple of disclaimers. The first was that ISIS is not Islamic, and the second was that the majority of ISIS victims are Muslim. How can an “Islamic State” not be Islamic? The terrorists consider themselves Islamic, and yet the president is in denial. The only problem I have with peaceful, faithful, mainstream Muslims is that too often, they don’t stand up to condemn or reject the extremists. Is it possible that they don’t because they actually feel the same way? Often, silence is equivalent to agreement.

For those of you who disagreed with my warnings that terrorists will eventually attack Americans here at home, it’s already happened. Ali Muhammad Brown is charged with killing four men in two states, one of whom was 19-year-old Brendan Tevlin, an exemplary student and son who just began his freshman year of college. Brown, who opposed U.S. intervention in the Middle East, claimed that the murders he committed were “just kills,” a “life for a life.” This Muslim extremist living in the United States thinks it’s okay to kill Americans because he feels what we’re doing in Iraq is unjust. Let me reiterate to all of you: Domestic terrorism is here, and it’s not going anywhere.

Protests have been breaking out in 150 cities by fast food workers demanding a wage increase to $15 an hour. My advice is to ask what former President Ronald Reagan would do. He would fire all of them and send them to the unemployment office; then, he would advise the fast food establishments to see if any high school kids will take those jobs. In other words, these fast food jobs are not meant to support a family. They are for entry-level workers, namely high school kids who want a little extra spending cash. My advice to all of you who want to earn more money is to work harder. You don’t get a raise because you need it; you work harder, because you need it. The protesters are working jobs designed for high school students that need money to buy their first car – so if this is your lifelong profession, then you’ve failed. Stop being content with a McJob and demanding raises. Start working your way out of that job, and let the kids take your place so they can learn the work ethic they need to succeed in life.

Ray Rice was fired from the Baltimore Ravens and suspended by the NFL after video surfaced of him knocking his then-fiancée, now-wife, unconscious. I say BOO-HOO. He was paid $7 million a year in a 5-year contract, to do what? He contributes nothing of significance to society, because he’s an entertainer. The only thing significant about his celebrity is that he has become a role model to kids, and if being a role model was a large part of the job description, how dumb of him to jeopardize that by committing this act against his wife.

The same holds true for the President. He needs to act like a president by working rather than playing golf, and by showing America that he cares about these horrific beheadings, rather than flying in from his vacation to make a comment and then flying back to finish the back nine. We need a full time, trustworthy and competent president, and we need him now.

Ed Hoffman is the host of the Main Event on AM590 which airs Saturday 9:30AM- 10:30AM and Sunday 4:00PM- 5:00PM.