A Response to the Coz: I'm ALSO Tired. But Not Too Tired.

This little rant that’s attributed to an old and tired Bill Cosby has been getting a lot of circulation on the social media re-feeds. I sincerely hope it didn’t originate with the Cos. It reads like it didn’t, especially the last couple of lines. But it bothers the hell out of me and I thought I’d write a point-for-point response.

I'm 83 and I'm Tired

I'm 83. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired!

I’m 36. I’ve had a steady job since I was 16, and before that I worked on the family farm. Before and after school, all summer long. It gave me a work ethic I’m proud of, but I recall being called lazy by my elders, and being judged for having possessions. I have a great job with a summer break that I have never not worked through in thirteen years. During the year I sometimes work fourteen, fifteen, sixteen hour days, and a lot of weekends. However, it's one of the only professions in the world where someone will tell you in the same breath how easy you've got it and how they could never do your it. But that’s okay. I like my job.  That’s why I got the education I did: to get a job I find fulfilling. The pay is good but not great, but the rewards are better. Given the economy, I’m glad my job is not dependent on a non-renewable resource. Or Jell-O stocks.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I’m tired of people who think they are the best judges of the work ethic of others, or of who is the most deserving of social services. I wonder how your mentality would have played in the Depression? I mean, those folks lining up for the indignity of soup kitchens or who had to debase themselves before receiving the dole sure must’ve been lazy to end up in that situation, right, o wise one?

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Sharia law tells them to.

I’m tired of everyone always making broad generalizations about everything all the time everywhere. It’s sure a good thing that no Christian or white or both has ever committed any crime or act of hatred in history with one hand on the bible, isn’t it? Listen, every religion has its radicals, every religion has its faults, and before condemning the faults of one, take a second to read up on the hypocrisy of your own “peaceful” faith. (Incidentally, know where jihad comes from? A Muslim response to watching Crusaders butcher every man, woman, and child in Jerusalem while screaming their god’s name. Read up.)

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance.

I’m tired of hazy understandings of economy, and bigotry. There are Christian churches that promote homophobia and gender inequality. I’d say most. But I’m with ya. My opinion is no church should receive government funding, not one. But that’s just me.

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I’m tired of hearing that global warming is the fantasy of hippies and radicals, and we shouldn’t question any process that creates wealth now at the possible expense of the future. That oil is king and should not bechallenged. Your oh-so-precious standard of living is dependent on wasteful and out-dated exploitive methods of attainment that create world-altering exhaust and run-off. Debate doesn’t mean refusing to ask questions, just accepting the status quo. Read up. I’m tired of hearing this sort of tripe from people too lazy or too selfish to change.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?

I’m tired of people not being allowed to make a mistake or to have their stories heard because the rest of you are just so dang perfect. I’m tired of humans being written off. Addiction is a disease. Sorry. If you don’t suffer from one—or if yours are more socially-acceptable—thank your lucky stars, get on with your day, and let the people get help.

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

I’m tired of hypocrisy. Everything you’ve talked about so far is so steeped in entitlement and privilege that this statement is ridiculous. You’re feeling entitled to judge others based on poorly-informed opinions and weak stereotypes. And how do you know what we all know?

I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

I’m really tired of people born into privilege refusing to challenge entrenched authorities, racism and sexism, and to question what they’re sold by big-whatevers.

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's be-deck themselves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.

I’m also tired and fed up of hearing from old people who’ve forgotten what it was like to be young. You never had a haircut or outfit that an elder questioned? And as for fleecing the government, don’t worry, tattoos and piercings are expensive. They want to keep it up, they’ll need real jobs. Maybe in TV . . .

Yes, I'm tired. But I'm also glad to be 83... Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and their children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in; there is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!
This is your chance to make a difference.

Yes, I’m also tired. But I’m really glad to not be 83, because I want to see the world you’re going to be missing. I’m also sorry for your granddaughter, because you’re so willing to give up on her generation’s hope to make the world better than you leave it. Who knows, maybe she or her children will discover a cure for nosing into other people’s business and spouting off about it.

"I'm 83 and I'm tired. If you don't forward this you are part of the problem."

I’m 36 and also tired. But I’m more than happy to be a part of anything someone like you would call “a problem.”