Paul Harvey wishes...

[Cheyenne]

Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.

For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friend and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what Ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.

And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you---tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.

To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss.

Send this to all of your friends who mean the most to you. We secure our friends not by accepting favors but by doing them.

Paul Harvey...Good Day!

 

[MinkSoul]

Dam.......

just.....





Dam...

 

[BrainyBeauty]

That's Life!

What a wonderful narrative of how simple, back to basics common sense and wisdom can teach us what is important. A modern time moral fable for us all to appreciate and follow. His prescriptives are how I was raised and I (modestly) submit that it succeeded.

How can we expect future generations to learn anything or to truly appreciate anything unless they learn from their mistakes and work as hard as they can to earn their rewards.

Thanks for sharing this Cheyenne.

 

[Cheyenne]

You're welcome. It hit home with me, too. So many of the things on the list sounded familiar and made me think- they really are worth experiencing.

 

[Cheri]

I'd add:
I hope you hear no from your parents and learn that it does mean no.

I hope you hear yes when the thing you're asking for makes you a better person whether that be scholastically, artistically or any other way.

I hope you things don't always come easy to you so you learn perserverance.

 

[genderbender]

Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.

For my grandchildren, I'd like better...

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I like this homily with but two exceptions, the first above. I don't believe the way to learn humility is to be humiliated. In my experience, being humiliated leads to other, far less noble qualities. And if a parent believes the way to teach humility is by humiliating a child, that's a parent who deserves IMHO to be reported to Child Protective Services. The first half of this line is pure, unadulterated bullshit!

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.

Excuse me, I didn't like beer the first time I tried it, but now find it one of the finer treats of life. I don't drink very much of it, but I love the excellent brews I do drink. I don't know whether Mr. Harvey is concerned about teenage alcoholism or if he's just a snob, but I think he misfired on that one, except perhaps as a joke.

That said, I'm old enough to appreciate the things he's talking about, and even though I didn't experience all of the things he mentions, I know the values he embraces and agree with them wholeheartedly. Thanks Cheyenne. I hope my comments above didn't rain too hard on your parade, but they are heartfelt as well.

 

[Problem Child]

You have a knack for pissing on a pefectly good campfire.

 

[doctor_insanus]

I think if you take those comments in the spirit they were intended, then they are all noble sentiments.

As I read the list, I found myself reliving those that I had experienced and longing for those that I hadn't.

Thanks!

 

[genderbender]

I think if you take those comments in the spirit they were intended, then they are all noble sentiments...

I'll throw some more water on the campfire, to use PC's lovely phrase. IMHO lots of nasty things happen, perpetrated by people who espouse noble sentiments. I'm not saying Paul Harvey is one of those people, or that anyone on this post is. But I think we get in trouble when no one is willing to look directly at what someone is espousing and point out the inconsistencies, as well as harmful consequences that are likely to flow from the senitments expressed.

Yes this is a lovely homily but the first item I pointed to is indicative of a state of mind that does untold and irreparable harm to children of this country. I hear the horror stories from friends who work in Child Protective Services and I meet the adults struggling with the humiliation they experienced as children. Not all perpetrators of child abuse are monsters, as comforting as that canard may be. Most look like ordinary people who you see in the supermarket and, yes, at church. This is no small matter, insignificant issue.

 

[doctor_insanus]

Well, okay then.

 

[Madame Pandora]

genderbender,

I think the "pissing in the campfire" comment was meant to indicate your snubbing of a certain frame of mind.

It would be one thing if Cheyenne had posted this as her life philosophy open to debate. OBVIOUSLY no one is suggesting that Paul Harvey is Buddah. It was just a harmless list of little happy-thoughts. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, etc.

Some people have fond memories of a simpler time. That's all Paul Harvey or anyone else who likes him is about. Do I agree with it? No. But what exactly are you railing against?

There is a point where you are TOO jaded, babe. Save it for the threads that invite debate. You've been bitching and moaning that your flirtations with Mistress have been rained on by poor sports.

Don't live in a glass house, baby.

MP

 

[MinkSoul]

if someone starts acting superior to everyone else...

I beleive that they will learn humility by being humiliated...

 

[doctor_insanus]

Well said, MP.

 

[Problem Child]

I think if you take those comments in the spirit they were intended, then they are all noble sentiments...

I'll throw some more water on the campfire, to use PC's lovely phrase. IMHO lots of nasty things happen, perpetrated by people who espouse noble sentiments. I'm not saying Paul Harvey is one of those people, or that anyone on this post is. But I think we get in trouble when no one is willing to look directly at what someone is espousing and point out the inconsistencies, as well as harmful consequences that are likely to flow from the senitments expressed.

Yes this is a lovely homily but the first item I pointed to is indicative of a state of mind that does untold and irreparable harm to children of this country. I hear the horror stories from friends who work in Child Protective Services and I meet the adults struggling with the humiliation they experienced as children. Not all perpetrators of child abuse are monsters, as comforting as that canard may be. Most look like ordinary people who you see in the supermarket and, yes, at church. This is no small matter, insignificant issue.

I didn't say water, I said piss. Quote me correctly.

Sure nasty things happen by people who espouse noble sentiments. What's your point, that we should just give up our ideals and principles because a few bad apples spoil the bunch?

There is no inconsistency in this essay. Kids DO need to be shown what humiliation is to understand it. That's not to say that they need to be humiliated constantly and unmercifully, but making a kid stand in the corner once in a while if he's being a shit isn't going to turn him into a schoolyard shooter. On the other hand, if you let him get away with everything and coddle him his whole life, he may very well get the idea that he is immune to punishment and think he can get away with some very bad things.

When parents took a more pro-active approch and used common sense discipline, we didn't seem to have as much juvenile crime, pregnancy, and misuse of guns.

These things seem to have developed right along with all this new-age, touchy-feely, time-out bullshit.

 

[Cheyenne]

When parents took a more pro-active approch and used common sense discipline, we didn't seem to have as much juvenile crime, pregnancy, and misuse of guns.

These things seem to have developed right along with all this new-age, touchy-feely, time-out bullshit.

I think that is summarized in Paul Harvey's opening:
"We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better."

 

[genderbender]

Properly chastened...

PC - So this must be what "barbed wire and razor blades" feel like when approached too closely?

I take MP's point that I broke the mood. I apologize for that. I guess I have a bit of a tin ear. I'll also admit to being a bit sensitive to what appears to me abusive and Paul Harvey's line was "...learn humility by being humiliated." I'll agree that sitting in the corner for misbehaving in school, something that happened to me in third grade, won't produce mass murders or pedophiles. I'd invite you to consider that nothing I said could be construed as "...coddl(ing) him his whole life." Discipline is fine, including timeouts, contrary to your opinion. Helping a child to experience shame over cruel behavior isn't bad either, so long as the shame isn't associated with who the child is as a person. Good parenting will always serve the child. And lousy parenting can include overly harsh behavior as well as overly permissive behavior. Parenting is probably the toughest and most important work being done, sadly without much appreciation.

So, properly chastised, I walk quietly away from the campfire. I'll piss in my toilet if I need to relieve myself.

 

[Cync]

Great thread! In a world full of horror stories a little idealism can never hurt!

Hey, is there anywhere online you can listen to Paul Harvey's audio clips? Text is all well and fine, but listening to the old man tell "The rest of the story" brings back lots of good memories!

 

[DarlingBri]

I'm sorry to sound like a complete cultural sinkhole, but...

Who is Paul Harvey?

 

[Problem Child]

Re: I'm sorry to sound like a complete cultural sinkhole, but...

Who is Paul Harvey?

Paul Harvey...how would one describe Paul Harvey? Well he is an old (about eighty now, I guess) American radio broadcaster who has had a nationally syndicated radio show for decades. It's not a talk show, but more of a daily half-hour commentary. He gives opinions on the news of the day and tells stories, a lot of personal interest type stuff. He is decidedly conservative.

Does that help you any?

 

[DarlingBri]

Like Garrison Kiellor? (sp) The Lake Woebegone days bloke?

 

[DarlingBri]

Or...

Rush Limbaugh's dad?

 

[Problem Child]

Actually Bri, very different from either man, but if you combined the two you might be getting close. He is a great storyteller like Garrison Keillor, but his politics run along the same lines as Limbaugh. But he's not a giant A-hole like Rush. So if you combine Keillor with Limbaugh and leave out Limbaughs giant A-hole, and make the guy about 80, then you might have it.

Understand?

He's probably even got a web-page, but I wouldn't know the URL.

 

[genderbender]

Re: Or...

Rush Limbaugh's dad?

Rush is closer to the truth, though Paul Harvey doesn't have quite such a hard edge to his commentaries. He's folksy like Garrison Keillor but much more conservative. Keillor is a sort of midwest liberal who enjoys occasionally tweaking conservative politicos. I enjoy Keillor's Prairie Home Companion, which offers a little slice of Minnesota where I grew up. That and good old fashioned Lutheran guilt which laces his Lake Wobegon monologues. I know that well too.

No doubt this is more than you'll ever want to know about either of these subjects, and it certainly won't fill any cultural sinkholes.

 

[genderbender]

Actually Bri, very different from either man, but if you combined the two you might be getting close. He is a great storyteller like Garrison Keillor, but his politics run along the same lines as Limbaugh. But he's not a giant A-hole like Rush. So if you combine Keillor with Limbaugh and leave out Limbaughs giant A-hole, and make the guy about 80, then you might have it.

Understand?

He's probably even got a web-page, but I wouldn't know the URL.

So, who was it that said you and I are so far apart we'd never agree on any issue? Seems we came to pretty much the same conclusion on this one. I wrote my piece before seeing yours. A truth stranger than fiction?

I'm adding a URL for Paul Harvey, per PC's suggestion.

http://www.abcradio.com/radio/ph/bio.shtml

[Edited by genderbender on 03-25-2001 at 10:34 PM]

 

[DarlingBri]

Thank you!

I understand a bit better now

Its good to agree every now and then, and I do like it that you've come together over me.

In this thread, I mean... your posts above mine and all that