Ferry Trips Ferry Pilots Articles Editorial Finance Links Videos Email Home January 15, 2024 Ignoring Clint Eastwood's advice in "Dirty Harry" that opinions, like certain body parts, are best kept to yourself. Are You Offended? The graphic to the left goes to this newspaper article: https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/uc-irvine-mlk-day-chicken-and-waffles-menu-was-in-poor-taste/ Some groups of people spend too much time looking for things to be upset over. Being offended gives you power, with that righteous indignation surging through your veins, what a rush! Back in 2013, columnist George Will appeared on one of the Sunday morning television shows and talked about "The New Entitlement", that everyone now seems to have the right to not be offended. I hardly ever missed watching those weekly episodes from Washington, and caught this one. I wrote about it: On "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace", guest George Will had the last word on how to interpret the First Amendment:"People think they have a right not to have their feelings hurt, not to have their sensibilities in any way exacerbated." For those of you without a radio or television, or you've been in a coma, Mr. Will was referring to the story all over the airwaves about anti-gay comments made by Phil Robinson of A&E cable television's "Duck Dynasty" in GQ magazine. Gay and lesbian readers, and straight readers who think such activity is nifty, were offended. The uproar caused A&E network to suspend Robinson, a deeply religious man who believes homosexuality is contrary to God's law. Today we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America, and merchants, especially restaurants are careful not to offer any specials that might be seized on as offensive by those constantly on the watch. MLK mattress sales are fine, but if you are running a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise, it might be a good time to fake a power outage and be closed for the day. Growing up in a half-Irish half-Norwegian family, I knew that nobody laughs harder at a "Ollie and Lena" joke than a Swede or Norwegian, or enjoys a good Irish story that isn't exactly complimentary of the characters. In the Fall, some family members, certainly not all, searched out the annual lutefisk dinners held all over, usually in Lutheran church basements. Fish soaked in lye, lutefisk is so toxic, and yet so loved by the Scandanavians, that it is specifically exempt from Wisconsin's list of toxic substances. And, having good senses of humor, those Svedes and Norvegians, with a few Finlanders thrown into the mix, make fun of the stuff, fish soaked in something strong enough to take the paint off your walls. My grandmother, Helen Brudvig Doyle (100% Norwegian married to Francis John Doyle 100% Irish, wasn't that a combination) used to tell us little kids: "Ten thousand Svedes chased through the veeds by one Norvegian". When told to a Swede, he or she would usually respond "Ya, and vas she ugly too!" I've always been happy that I came from ethnic groups with a sense of humor and they knew how to use it on themselves. Think of all the things we could have been offended by. Are you offended yet? I could keep going ... Please visit my travel blog to learn more about my life on the road. Global Air Aviation Referral Service I welcome responses, and will be glad to post them here. Email your remarks to ron@global-air.com Most Recent Editorial Recent Global Air Links: Ferry Trips | Ferry Pilots |Articles | Editorials | Aviation Links | Financing | Videos | Home For more information, call us at 763-389-9399. Specifications are based upon owner's representations and subject to buyer's verification. Aircraft are subject to prior sale or removal from market. Occasionally, registration numbers on photos may be altered or removed to protect the privacy of the owner, and to ensure that buyers will work with us to complete the purchase.