Slog - Comments on Dear God

Comment by Greg

Greg — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:27:19 -0800

My friend's fiancee, who was in Beirut when Israel bombed the fuck out of it a while back, does NOT like having the Blue Angels around.

Comment by Jubilation T. Cornball

Jubilation T. Cornball — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:27:21 -0800

I don't know what God would say, but Mrs. Hagan, my 7th grade English teacher, would say, "Add the word 'have' between Angels and been."

Comment by Are you there God? It's me, a liberal sick of classist bullshit.

Are you there God? It's me, a liberal sick of classist bullshit. — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:30:45 -0800

Dear God, why couldn't David Schmader have been sent away with Bradley Steinbacher?

We await Your reply.

Comment by Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:33:10 -0800

Do we really have to have this same debate every single year?

The Blue Angels are not going away. Stop whining.

Comment by David Schmader

David Schmader — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:33:58 -0800

2: Mrs. Hagan is right. Fixed.

Comment by David Schmader

David Schmader — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:36:23 -0800

And 3: What does hating the Blue Angels annual sky-rape have to do with "classist bullshit"?

Comment by Explorer

Explorer — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:36:29 -0800

We were buzzed by some seriously loud jet fighters today while crossing the West Seattle Bridge, but they didn't look like the Blue Angels.

Comment by Paul Constant

Paul Constant — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:36:34 -0800

@3: What's classist about hating the Blue Angels?

Comment by Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:37:33 -0800

How else are we going to appropriately sing "America, Fuck Yeah!" while nearly getting into car wrecks on the 520?

Comment by max solomon

max solomon — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:39:50 -0800

your taxes pay for it - you might as well get to see it.

Comment by michael strangeways

michael strangeways — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:41:49 -0800

Amen, Sistuh, but you're preaching to the choir...except for the douche at #3...

Comment by that shit is awesomesauce

that shit is awesomesauce — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:43:21 -0800

I love having the blue angels, and am quite glad they're still here.

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:43:21 -0800

Schmader Prefers the Airforce's F-16 Falcons.

Comment by KBF

KBF — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:44:53 -0800

@4 So, we should never re-open any topic for debate, ever.

Particularly not when fuel prices have changed or when an economic slump keeps people from being able to afford to visit family. You're right, we should ALWAYS pay taxes to support stunt pilots to masturbate with millions of dollars of equipment.

Comment by KBF

KBF — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:46:29 -0800

Comment by lostboy

lostboy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:47:17 -0800

Since a direct answer from God seems unlikely, might I presume to suggest:

Because the Blue Angels are:

*� Fun to watch

*� Good at what they do

*� Free to watch

Also, the Blue Angels are at least Blue.� The Seattle Super Sonics are none of the above.

Comment by KBF

KBF — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:47:18 -0800

http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/re_re_submitted_for_jens_approval_34

Comment by Are you there God? It's me, a liberal sick of classist douchebags.

Are you there God? It's me, a liberal sick of classist douchebags. — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:47:35 -0800

Hmmm... what reaction would you have if a resident of Fremont were griping about the Solstice Parade, or someone from Belltown was complaining about Pride?

Comment by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me

You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:55:25 -0800

Yeah! The pilots work out at my gym when they are in town and they are Fucking HOT!!!... (They really beef up the locker room.) Yum.

Comment by rb

rb — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:59:06 -0800

Blue Angels annual sky-rape

Ha ha. I propose that as the new official title of Seafair: KeyBank Blue Angels Annual Sky-Rape, Presented by Boeing.

Comment by Sweeney Agonistes

Sweeney Agonistes — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:59:30 -0800

@18: You're assuming that everybody who falls in a lower social stratum than Schmader et al. hearts the Blue Angels. Fallacious.

Comment by michael strangeways

michael strangeways — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:04:30 -0800

The Solstice Parade and Pride Parade seldom cause windows to break, pets to hypervenilate or cause ear drum bleeding.

Nor do they waste tax payers money, or large amounts of jet fuel. They're also fairly eco-friendly, at least compared to the mass consumption of aforementioned jet fuel. They also don't cause massive amounts of gullible youth to sign up for the military expecting that they'll be jet pilots, when in reality they'll probably be working the fry trap in a kitchen or the pointy part of the mop.

The Angels fan base tends to live in South King and Pierce Counties. They can go dive bomb people in that neck of the woods and leave me the fuck alone...

Comment by daniel carroll

daniel carroll — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:06:38 -0800

the blue angels are the nascar of the sky.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:10:12 -0800

@23 is right.

But at least this year I won't just hear them and only glimpse them cause I've got front row seats way up in the UW Tower ...

Hope the noise isn't too bad.

Comment by asteria

asteria — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:14:45 -0800

@23: you mean people watch because they're hoping for a crash? I thought I was the only one.

Comment by zoomie

zoomie — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:16:48 -0800

I can't believe it hasn't been said: Jet Noise, the Sound of Freedom.

Whidbey Island High School Football Rules!

Comment by Hernandez

Hernandez — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:19:03 -0800

Personally, I'm indifferent. They're fun to watch if I'm at a beach on the lake, and they're a pain in the ass when they fly overhead and cause the windows to shake while I'm at work. Either way, I have a feeling that it's one of those Seattle traditions that's never going away, love it or hate it.

Comment by DJSauvage

DJSauvage — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:19:12 -0800

You can't sky-rape the willing & I am SO willing!

Comment by A

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:24:12 -0800

From Wikipedia:
"During its history 26 Blue Angels pilots have been killed in air show or training accidents. Through the 2006 season there have been 262 pilots and squad leaders in the squad's history, giving the job a 10% fatality rate."

Comment by amocat

amocat — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:35:27 -0800

@22: I'm one of the people who lives in "that neck of the woods" and would prefer the Angels hover over your house for all eternity, you classist asshole.

Comment by Original Monique

Original Monique — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:37:28 -0800

Sky rape is the kinda rape I can get behind.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:48:31 -0800

UW Tower my ass. Once the Safeco Building, always the Safeco Building.

Comment by Sounds Like Victory

Sounds Like Victory — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:54:49 -0800

@1 -- I don't blame him for the bad memories. Though I think we'd all be a little more connected to the effects of our current Head-Shithead-In-Charge's War-on/of-Terror with military hardware buzzing around all the time. At least they're not strafing us.

Comment by Mahtli69

Mahtli69 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:15:21 -0800

@33 -

At least they're not strafing us.

Maybe they should be. Or, maybe they should send in some AC-130's instead of the Blue Angels so we can really get a taste of "spreading democracy".

Comment by joykiller

joykiller — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:18:54 -0800

@22, sure, but do these parades travel past the speed of sound? Are they in the sky? Do they kick so much ass it's hard to even comprehend? No offense to these parades and their fans, but no, they do not.

Signed,
Seattle native who wishes the Blue Angels were here year-round

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:23:37 -0800

@32 ... but we put up such nice signs ...

Comment by Trouble

Trouble — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:36:06 -0800

Why do you hate America/God/Our Troops?

Comment by elswinger

elswinger — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:53:26 -0800

It must be Seafair. At least I know there won't be much to Slog about because for the next couple weeks I can skip over all the anti/pro Blue Angels posts bullshit.

Comment by catalina Vel-DuRay

catalina Vel-DuRay — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:16:18 -0800

Ah, I was wondering when we would have Our Annual Discussion about the blue angels.

I really have nothing to say about it. I live on north Beacon Hill, right in the flight path, and have four little dogs that have big spazzy attacks, but it is only for one weekend, and there are those who love it, so why not?

Oh, and for the person who said...

"when in reality (soldiers will) probably be working the fry trap in a kitchen or the pointy part of the mop."

Don't be ridiculous dear. We now contract that out. Where once it only cost us the salary of a few GI's, we now pay mercenary collaborationists hundreds of thousand of dollars. It's called progress!!!

Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale

Lloyd Clydesdale — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:16:04 -0800

I'm not eskeered. I think they're impressive. I wish I had that kind of ride. But my quandary, really, is that I'm torn. Hmmm: Bule Angels, Seafair Pirates. Blue Angels, Seafair Pirates.

Comment by Are you there God? It's me, a liberal sick of classist bullshit.

Are you there God? It's me, a liberal sick of classist bullshit. — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:55:12 -0800

@18: You're assuming that everybody who falls in a lower social stratum than Schmader et al. hearts the Blue Angels. Fallacious.

Nope... but with comments like...

The Angels fan base tends to live in South King and Pierce Counties. They can go dive bomb people in that neck of the woods and leave me the fuck alone...

...I'm guessing that it doesn't fit your delicate sensibilities. Just fine by me, but don't get all holier-than-thou in response.

Comment by Luke Baggins

Luke Baggins — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:25:32 -0800

I love comments about how the commenter is sick of the debate about X and looks forward to skipping it.

Comment by RainMan

RainMan — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:54:07 -0800

Blue Angels weekend: perfect time to visit Vancouver. It's become an annual tradition for me.

Comment by Amelia

Amelia — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:04:45 -0800

Annual sky-rape! Thank you, Schmader! I live and work downtown, and they practice over us for a week every damn year. Not only are they murderers (I understand the "Blue Angels" helped bomb Afghanistan), but American air show pilots make mistakes and occasionally crash, dealing firey death unto the crowds watching them. It's an agonizing week for me, every year, as they loop around Seattle's skyscrapers practicing for city bombing raids.

Comment by 'S WILL OF SEATTLE

'S WILL OF SEATTLE — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:18:23 -0800

The Blue Angels are symbolic of the decline and fall of the American Empire. Like the Romans, we need our bread and our circuses and - with any luck - a fatal ground crash or mid-air collision will encourage strangers to speak to one another - Cirque de Morte. An Urban Myth, but one hears the pilots fly nude. Frankly, I'd rather have my favorite Blue Angel back - Marlene Dietrich - tho' her going down never caused fatality.

Comment by Trouble

Trouble — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:10:02 -0800

@44

If you are going to make wild accusations, you need to cite sources. A quick visit to the Blue Angels page on Wikipedia shows that no civilians have ever been killed by a Blue Angels crash at an airshow. Also the bit about them bombing Afghanistan makes no sense, they aren't a combat unit. Neither Wikipedia nor a Google mention anything about that.

Comment by Amelia

Amelia — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:57:39 -0800

Late response, but:

"No civilians have ever been killed by a Blue Angels crash at an airshow." Lot of qualifiers there. The recent Blue Angels crash at Hiltonhead injured 8 people in a residential area in addition to killing the pilot. And when the U.S. offers to put on a wasteful, dangerous air show in Germany, Germans think of firey death: see Wikipedia's Ramstein_airshow_disaster entry.

I finally found the report I was remembering that featured the interview with the pilots bombing Afghanistan.

http://thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=913

It was my mistake--these assholes were called the "Blue Diamonds," not the "Blue Angels." However, as you can see from the many "Blue Angels" pilot obituaries on the Web, Blue Angels pilots were involved in the bombing of Afghanistan, a.k.a. "Operation Enduring Freedom."