Oh, Dear, They Mentioned the "G" Word on the TV.

(c) 2013 by Tom King

I must admit I missed the Super Bowl this year.  I'm kind of like "Are the Cowboys in it?"   If the answer is no, I go chop wood or do something useful.  Dodge, however, had this great commercial, thought that evidently sparked a lot of conversation.  The commercial brings back the inimitable Paul Harvey's tribute to farmers. It's sweet and upbeat and reverent.

So naturally a lot of people were unhappy with it.  In the weeks following it's debut during America's signature sporting event, we were treated to weak-kneed attempts to discredit the commercial's message.  The LA Time's smug piece proclaimed "Here's the Rest of the Story."  I don't think "story" means what they think it means.  The Huffing and Puffington Post, of course, can always be counted upon to put a negative spin on the commercial, pointing out all the evil corporations and laws that make life hard for farmers around the world.

Odd, but they never seem to connect the idea that most of those starving farmers living in near slavery are living in leftist countries like China and Venezuela.  They never seem to remember that most of the farm regulations and systems that hamper farmers and support corporate greed in agri-business were written on their watch when they had control of both the House and Senate and often even the Presidency. 

They miss the point that farmers in a free America can go to the Supreme Court for redress of grievances against those evil corporations as farmer Vernon Bowman is doing against Monsanto. 

Finally the atheists among us haven't let the mention of God in public go uncriticized either.  Twitter blew up after the commercial with Tweets both pro and con in the millions.  Where the two intersected, heated disputes broke out like wildfires between obviously right and left wing commentators. 


It's sad really.  I don't even like Dodge trucks (unfortunate history with Chrysler projects), but I did appreciate the commercial.  If Chevrolet wants to do a commercial called "Allah made a Quickie-Mart Clerk", I really do have no problem with that either.  I'm sorry if that sounded anti-Muslim, it's not. I really admire the way immigrants to this country have stepped in wherever they could and made homes and fortunes doing whatever worked for them.  I wish them all well.

I know we have moved away from the family farm and some corporate abuses have occurred.  It cannot be helped that agriculture is changing.  We have a huge and growing population and we have to find ways to produce as much food that is as healthy as possible.  We will make some mistakes along the way. It was the same way when the economy went from the industrial age to the information age, when the agricultural economy that dominated America moved to the industrial age and all the way back through the Rennaisance, the iron age, bronze and stone ages.  Every shift has required us to find a new balance.

Farmers, however their farms are structured, are hard-working people who are under-appreciated.  Good for Dodge for preparing and paying for this very public tribute for American farmers.

And shame on all of you gripey little girls who have nothing better than to complain about every good and decent thing that comes along.  Get over yourselves for heaven's sake.

...or for your own sake if you don't buy the whole "God" thing.  That much negativity really chews up your guts and gives you diseases.

Just one man's opinion....

Tom King