No Free Cruises

The United States has sent a cruise ship to Lebanon in order to evacuate citizens who wish to leave the war torn country. The left-wing media is outraged! What they’re outraged at is that we have the audacity to charge the passengers for the trip. Just what exactly is the problem with that? It’s not like we sent these people to Beirut. They went there of their own volition and through their own efforts so why shouldn’t they pay a heavily discounted cruise fee? If they can afford to get there in the first place, they should be able to afford the tickets back. Besides, it’s not like anybody’s standing there at the dock demanding cash. All that’s required is that they sign an agreement to pay; and something tells me we’re not going to be garnishing anyone’s future wages over a few hundred dollars.

These aren’t poor, poverty-stricken refugees fleeing the ravaged countryside with nothing but the clothes on their back either. No, these are people who are in Beirut on vacation or have chosen to abandon the United States and take up residence abroad. As for the vacationers, maybe they’ll think about their vacation destination a little harder in the future. Let this serve as a lesson to them. As for those who have abandoned their country, perhaps we should charge them double. If they don’t want to live here, I certainly don’t want them back. If it were up to me, I sure wouldn’t be sending a ship to rescue them. They should be extremely grateful for any and all of the help they get regardless of the price.

No, I really don’t understand what the media is upset about. We can’t keep Israel from bombing Lebanon. We can’t stop Hezbollah from kidnapping Israeli soldiers, and nobody is in favor of us invading another country right now. So sending a cruise ship and charging passage seems like one of the best ideas anyone could have come up with at the moment. If the media wants to complain about something, perhaps they should check into just what purchasing a ticket on this ship entitles a passenger to. Do they get the all you can eat buffet all day long? Are drinks included in the fare? What about the ports of call? Are there opportunities to get off the ship and enjoy the local culture? How long is the trip and what are the general amenities on board the ship? Perhaps the media can find something to complain about in the answers to those questions, but there’s no reason to complain about the price.

Date Added: 18-07-2006