ANDY ROONEY DIDN'T SAY IT

 

 

 

David M. Bresnahan
February 19, 2006
NewsWithViews.com

Andy Rooney, that CBS 60 Minutes curmudgeon and broadcasting legend, is not the author of the e-mail message attributed to him that has been circulating the Internet for years.

The message contains a list of beliefs that are attributed to Mr. Rooney, but in 2003 he stated on 60 Minutes: “There's a collection of racist and sexist remarks on the Internet under a picture of me with the caption ‘Andy Rooney Said on 60 Minutes.’ If I could find the person who did write it using my name I would sue him.”

However, when I received it from a friend today, instead of discarding it for the hundredth time, I decided to use it as inspiration for my own personal statement of core beliefs. If you agree, feel free to circulate a link to this commentary.

If, by some slim chance, you do not agree then feel free to write your own commentary. After all, it is a free country and we still enjoy freedom of the press. However, I am not writing this as an effort to begin a discussion. Each article I write for News With Views brings a flood of e-mail, so I am concerned that this direct expression of beliefs will create such a tsunami of messages that I will never be able to respond to them all. Please understand if I do not write back personally.

What I Believe

We have the right of free speech, which means I have the right to say and write what I want, and so do you. If I do not like what you say I will not attack, belittle, or threaten you. In fact, I will defend your right to say things I do not like. When I write and speak I try to do so with respect, and I encourage others to do the same.

Regarding speech: I live in the United States where we speak English. I have traveled to 16 foreign nations and I always made an effort to learn common expressions in the prevailing language wherever I went. I would appreciate the same courtesy from people who come here, either as students, tourists, or residents.

I believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. I know that the original Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in preparation for His Second Coming. I claim the right to worship as I please, and I believe in the right of all people to worship how, where, or what they may ­ or to not worship at all. I will defend the rights of others to believe something that is contrary to my own beliefs.

We have the right to believe what we will, and to express our beliefs through speech and the written word. Political correctness is cultural Marxism and it is destroying our country.

Guns do not kill people. People kill people. Sometimes they use guns, but other times they use other items. Placing a ban on those various items will not stop killers from killing.

We have the right of self-defense for ourselves and family.

We have the right to the pursuit of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.

Parents have the right to teach their children as they wish until the child becomes an adult. I believe that no other success can compensate for failure in the home. It takes a mother and a father to raise a child, not a village.

Government was created by man to protect the rights of the governed, and to protect the governed from harm and loss of property. It is not the role of government to reach into my pocket and take my money and give it to someone else. I will decide what cause I wish to donate to and how generous I will be.

Government is the servant of the people it governs, not the other way around.

I am not interested in the debate over the legality of the IRS and income tax, simply because it is a waste of time. The IRS should be abolished, plain and simple. The fairest tax is a sales tax. I do not mind paying my fair share to pay for the benefits I receive as a U.S. citizen. I believe the only other tax should be a tariff on foreign goods and services coming into this country. That is rather idealistic, and until the law is changed I will pay taxes in the way the law stipulates.

I believe that when we select a country in which to live we also agree to live as a good citizen and to obey, honor, and sustain the law. When we disagree with a law we have an obligation to pursue the proper, legal method to change that law.

I believe we should make a much stronger effort to get along with each other, regardless of our beliefs. We need to teach our children proper manners and respect, and the best way to teach them is by our example. Even though we disagree with someone’s opinion we should still speak kindly to them and of them.

The “Golden Rule” and the “Ten Commandments” are valid, regardless of your personal religious beliefs, or lack thereof. If we would just follow these standards of truth we would have a better world. We should be happy to teach these in our schools and carve them on buildings.

There is absolutely no reason to use vulgar, obscene language.

Journalists are reporters of the news, not the makers of the news. A good reporter acts as the eyes and ears of the people, and is the watchdog of government and politicians. A journalist has an obligation to report honestly and thoroughly without revealing his or her personal opinion. When a reporter wants to share an opinion the proper place to do it is in a commentary, not a news story.

We should spend more time focusing on the values and beliefs we hold in common, rather than our differences. Our common beliefs are many, and our differences are few. Our common beliefs will bring us together as friends, and our differences can tear us apart and make us enemies.

The poet said: “You go to your church, and I’ll go to mine, but let’s walk along together.”

I agree.

May God bless us all.

© 2006 David M. Bresnahan - All Rights Reserved