When Andy Rooney Speaks

Even when I was a little girl, I loved Andy Rooney. He was the first person I ever listened to who was "in your face" before the phrase was even invented. He was also the first person who could pull that off without making mortal enemies, saying what he needed to say with respect, and really getting to the core of an issue.

I think of Andy as somewhat of a kindred spirit, even a grandfatherly role model for myself. You see, Andy and I are rooting for a completely whine-free society, where no one complains about things that they've managed to get their own selves in to, and where no one whines about what's happening in their lives. I think Andy and I are both the type of people who would rather hear people say, "Ya know, I'm not real happy with this and this and that and that, so I'm going to take action to make it better."

Andy recently said, "I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door." To me, that made perfect sense. Groups and organizations are created for what society labels "minorities," which only serves to make them even more the minority, even more discriminated against. It sends a message that says, "You're not equal to the rest of us, so you need a special group or fund just for you."

Andy also said, "Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game." You can also kill people with your car, but we're not having our licenses yanked because that possibility exists. Cars are lethal weapons, too. A killer can use any instrument to kill another human, but it's still the act that makes the person a killer, not the instrument.