In the March 6 Conversations piece, “Up In Arms,” Boatrocker implied that the Spartan defense at Thermopylae was a pointless slaughter. She omits the fact that 300 brave men (sheep dogs) stood up to about 2 million invading Persians (wolves). The Persians offered to spare the Spartans if they gave up their weapons. The Spartans refused. They fought day after day and ultimately repulsed the Persians. And because this red line was drawn and defended Greece and, subsequently, Western civilization survived and flourished.
Perhaps “sheeple” like Boatrocker prefer hanging with the shambling pajama-people shackled by unyielding religiosity? Perhaps led by a nose ring by tyrants, despots and demagogues?
— Michael Redfox
Marshall
Thanks for reading through to the end…
We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.
We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.
Hey there, thanks for the history lesson, Mike. I’m not a she, by the way. Hopefully the sarcasm isn’t lost on you.
In re-reading my original post, I’m not sure where I imply anything about that famous battle being a pointless slaughter. I did call it what it was- an arse whipping.
What I did imply is that all the tough talk from the NRA sheeple about being ready to fight some oppressive fascist army of thugs coming to take anyone’s weapons is cute.
I saw “Red Dawn” in 1984 when it was in the movie theaters too. I liked it because I was a kid and didn’t know any better. It had Patrick Swayze in it for goodness sake. I do however realize that it is a work of fiction.
I went on in my original post to ask how effective a single tough talking John Wayne type guy with only two hands would be against the best funded, trained and equipped military in the world. You know, the same military that hasn’t won a war since 1945 yet demands over 60% of America’s budget every year.
I asked how effective one guy with firearms would be against say a drone controlled by some computer geek from Langley and that maybe when “They come for your guns”, actual soldiers won’t even be used.
That’s my two cents’ worth of clarification in case you didn’t read my original post carefully enough.
By the way, nice job with the denigration of Persian cultures -pajama people? Really? I guess it’s a better term than “sand (censored)” or whatever Toby Keith calls them in his songs.
Those pesky Persians, what with their Garden of Eden, cuneiform, algebra, the roots of the modern banking system, medical advances out the wazoo and my favorite- coffee.
It wasn’t about any battle between Greeks and Persians, it was a response to an article about gun nuts spouting paranoid delusions, but I may have lost you by this point.
I’m glad you addressed this letter, as when I read it I was shocked to find out I had misread the Boatrocker gender all this time and had to recontextualize all previous posts made by said rocker of boats in a now-feminine voice.
Tough talking (pry my gun from my cold dead hands) gun freak types inadvertently reveal themselves, as scared wimps.