“A TIRED AMERICAN SPEAKS OUT” an Editorial by Al McIntosh
I've written about Al Mcintosh, owner and publisher of the Rock County Star Herald whose's writings were featured in Ken Burn's documentary The War. What follows is the editorial by Al McIntosh that made him famous when it was written in 1964 during the turbulent "60's." Newspapers all over the country re-printed it. While written almost a quarter of a century ago. How you react to it is determined by your view of American politics and American life.
A TIRED AMERICAN SPEAKS OUT
I am a tired American. I am tired of being called the ugly American. I’m tired of having the world panhandlers use my country as a whipping boy 365 days a year.
I am a tired American – weary of having American embassies and information centers stoned, burned and attacked by mobs operating under orders from dictators who preach peace and breed conflict.
I am a tired American – weary of being lectured by Gen. De Gaul (who never won a battle) who poses as a second Jehovah in righteousness and wisdom.
I am a tired American – weary of Nasser and all the other blood sucking leaches who bleed Uncle Sam white and kick him on the shins and yank his beard if the flow falters.
I am a tired American – weary of the beatniks who say they should have the right to determine the laws of the land they are willing to obey.
I am a tired American – fed up with the mobs of scabby faced, long haired youths and short haired girls who claim they represent the “new wave” of Americans and who sneer at the old fashioned virtues of honesty, integrity and morality on which America grew to greatness.
I am a tired American – weary unto death of having my tax dollars go to dictators who play both sides against the middle with threats of what will happen if we cut off the golden stream of dollars.
I am a tired American – who is tired of supporting families who haven’t known any other source of income other than government relief checks for three generations.
I am a tired American – who is getting madder by the minute of the filth peddlers who have launched American in an obscenity race – who try to foist on us the belief that filth is an integral part of culture – in the arts, the movies, literature, the stage.
I am a tired American – weary of the bearded bums who tramp the picket lines and the sit ins – who prefer Chinese Communism to capitalism – who see no evil in Castro, but sneer at President Johnson as a threat to peace.
I am a tired American – who has lost all patience with that civil rights group which is showing propaganda movies on college campuses from coast to coast. Movies denouncing the United States. Movies made in Communist China.
I am a tired American – who is angered by the self righteous breast beater critics in America, at home and abroad who get impossible yardsticks for the United states but never apply the same standards to the French,The British, The Russians, the Chinese.
I am a tired American – sickened by the slack jawed bigots who wrap themselves in bed sheets in the dead of night and roam the country looking for innocent victims.
I am a tired American who dislikes clergymen who have made a career out of integration causes, yet send their children to private schools.
I am a tired American who resents those who try to peddle the belief in schools and colleges that capitalism is a dirty word and that free enterprise and private initiative are only synonyms for greed. They say they hate capitalism, but they are always right at the head of the line demanding their share of the American way of life.
I am a tired American – real tired of those who are trying to sell me the belief that American is not the greatest Nation in al the world – a generous hearted Nation – a Nation dedicated to the policy of trying to help the “have nots” achieve some of the good things that our system of free enterprise brought about.
I am a tired American – who gets a lump in his throat when he hears that “Star Spangled Banner” and holds back tears when he hears those chilling high notes of the brassy trumpets when Old Glory reaches the top of the flagpole. I am a tired American who thanks a marvelous Lord that he was so lucky to be born an American citizen – a Nation under God, with truly mercy and justice for all.
Al McIntosh Rock County Star Herald 1964
2 thoughts on ““A TIRED AMERICAN SPEAKS OUT” an Editorial by Al McIntosh”
I think the article was written about people like you, especially when you had hair, and you don’t get it.
Isn’t it typicaly to be cynical about someone that is probably turning in his grave because of people like you. He shouldn’t do that because YOU aren’t that special.
If you eased up on bashing conservatives long enough, you might someday smell the coffee, instead of the bullshit liberals put forth.
I cut that article from the newspaper in my community when it was reprinted back in 1965. Just found it today and read it.
Can you tell me that everything mentioned in this article is not exactly the truth in 2013???
When will the world change and realize that we are distroying everything that we have, most of all our people by the government giving them everything they want, they have no incentive to work or help other people they just don’t care anymore about themselves or others. That is the fault of the “wonderful administration we now have”.