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Yes, Irish Setters Are Joyful, Loyal, And Not As Dumb As Afghan Hounds

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By Daniel Ruth

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 22, 2008

As so many of you gentle readers know all too well, this space feels absolutely terrible whenever the sensibilities of one of you may be offended by something I have written.

Alas, Mary Conner took umbrage at a recent column, which suggested Hulk Hogan and his family, which is more dysfunctional than Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall in "The Shining," were dumber than a sack of Irish setters.

"This is twice in several weeks that you've used them to make a negative statement," Conner wrote. "We had Irish setters when I was growing up and they are the most joyful, happy, loyal dogs I have ever handled.

"Other than that, great column," she continued. "That whole family needs to get over themselves. If they wanted to become a freakshow, mission accomplished."

Dear, sweet, charming Mary - I have no argument with you that the Irish setter is a beautiful, lovely dog. They simply are dumber than a sack of chewies.

But since you were so nice to write, in deference to your feelings, I will retire the Irish setter references, and in the future substitute instead the clueless Afghan hound, which, when you come to think about it, makes your cur look like Bertrand Russell.

Kerry On: Truth About His War Record

Pacfandave, a regular contributor to these scribblings, weighed in with his weekly historical inaccuracy, commenting on a blog item concerning the creation of fightthesmears .com, an effort by the Barack Obama campaign to take on the growing legions of lies and falsehoods about the presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee.

"John Kerry's fictional account of his 'war record' was largely concocted by, well, John Kerry," pacfandave wrote.

Well, at least this chap is consistent in being consistently out to lunch.

John Kerry's war record was substantiated by those who knew it best - his fellow comrades-in-arms, who fought alongside the future senator and verified his valor in combat.

Kerry's great failure in 2004 was not immediately and aggressively reacting to rebut the Swiftboat Veterans for Character Assassination, a lesson obviously not lost on the Obama camp.

Revisionists, Run This Up Your Flagpole

The Confederate flag kerfuffle continues to rage, all manner of voices weighing in on a recent column critical of an effort by the Sons of Confederate Veterans to raise an enormous rebel flag just off I-4.

As you might imagine, many blacks and others who see the flag as a symbol of violence and racism have objected to the display of intolerance.

"I'm proud of my heritage," wrote southergaycop. "but I find that I am not the kind of person who wants to intentionally deliver a blow of hurt to anyone that may be offended by me sporting a Confederate flag on the bumper of my car, so I do not."

Meanwhile, Bart Siegel continues in his efforts to get someone to debate on the flag flap.

The problem with this sort of thing is if I debated every whiner who got his hoop skirt in a wad over a column he got all pouty over, well, there aren't enough hours in the day.

As well, it is an absurd proposition to debate someone who insists in living in a parallel universe of revisionist history.

The fact is, while there were many issues contributing to the schism between North and South, the issue of slavery was the preeminent issue that led to the Civil War.

Much more importantly, though, in 2008 the Confederate flag remains a painful symbol to millions of Americans - Americans, as in the United States of America, which has a perfectly wonderful, colorful, important flag of its own.

And oh, by the way, I wonder if all these divisive folks, who are more out to lunch than a sack of Afghan hounds, and running around trying to inflame hatreds and ignorance, are aware of who was the leading voice for reason and reconciliation following the Civil War - Robert E. Lee.

Keyword: Book of Ruth, to read and comment on Daniel Ruth's blog.

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