Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for January 15, 2010

We all need a drain surgeon sometime.

And what’s wrong with idolizing someone who’s really good at his job?

Plumbing is not for whimps. I appreciate that the statue has overalls, to take care of… you know that problem that plumbers oft times subject us poor on-lookers to.

maybe being able to keep his plumber problem under control is what made him a hero

Remember how the ‘Great Clog-Up Cascade’ of 1972 almost brought down our nation? It was EPIC!

Heh. I’ll take that over a stupid warmonger on his horse any day.

Anyone who can keep my plumbing working is a hero to me!

Maybe the pigeons selected him as their hero–he makes the perfect perch, and look what he has in his left hand–a prefabricated nest! Just perfect for the birds. He must be their hero.

Those “war mongers” have kept your sorry butt free for all these many years,

Those who really kept our butts free didn’t get statues.

Yoda made one of the all-time classic statements in “Star Wars”: War does not make one great. Power to the plumbers…especially when my water pipes burst.

Desultourist, are you referring to the servicemen and women who gave their lives for our freedom?

If a plumber comes in and stops a family’s home from being ruined by water damage from leaky pipes, then in my opinion he is MUCH more of a hero than any athlete or celebrity that people consider heroes.

My hero is the guy who pumps septic tanks.

desultourist. The point is, the word “HERO” has taken a beating the last 10 years, when the mainstream media start refering to cowards and warmongers like W bush, 5 deferments dick cheney and scooter libby as “heroic” the word has lost it’s meaning.

Another word that has lost it’s meaning is “great”.

I’m with Desultourist.

Let’s have more statues to heroes who make our lives better, and less to hired killers trying to impose American policy on the rest of the world.

Note to Richard - it’s the courts that protect my freedoms and yours, not the MIC.

nice statue, though–has a built in bird bath

This is not a political forum as Wiley has constantly stated. Therefore it ain’t Joe the Plumber the politico, just your average working stiff. I agree with the sentiment. More heros that are real.

I’ve needed a real plumber for months but can’t afford one, so have a semi-working toilet. The manufacturer’s have stopped making the part I need. It would only cost $1.50, but now I will have to replace the toilet and I certainly don’t have the bucks to do that. Aargh!

incidentally, peoplesmushroom, I must agree , …(as I do with most of your comments)… during foot ball games– how many times is the word ‘great’ said when what is meant is ‘good’……

ps….but being from Indy, I can’t quite agree with you on EVERYthing!

A hero is someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty. Too many times people who are just doing what is expected of them in their jobs or are unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place are labeled “Heroes”.

By the way, “Joe” was never a plumber, nor will he ever be. He does not have the drive to complete an apprenticeship program.

“Superfrog said, about 11 hours ago We all need a drain surgeon sometime.”

and right then he may look like the cavalry arriving in the nick of time…

Plumbers never quit….they always plunge a head!

grazer, I heard of a general that killed himself in the men’s room. That’s the Army for you; an Admiral would have shot himself in the head!

What is wrong with a hard-working man for a hero? I take offense to this cartoon. Are sports figures and Wall Street Execs your heroes?

Think about the people going into Haiti to provide aid…..

Then think about the guy who unclogged sh*t from your toilet…

Which seems more heroic to you? To be fair, that was a mighty big sh*t.

They’re going to need a LOT of plumbers in Haiti…

you just need to be in the right place at the right time.

Next week, their going to put up a statue for Bill Watterson.

Eh, who am I kidding, that’ll never happen… sob

This is probably a flame-starter (forgive me Wiley!), but I have to ask:

Who’s more heroic? A rescue-worker trying to extricate a man/woman/child from a collapsed building in Haiti?* Or a UAV operator in some trailer on some airbase supporting an anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan or Iraq by shooting a missile into a possible terrorist lair?

(Personally, I think that both are heroic. I just think that the term needs to be given a bit more flexibility on a case-by-case basis than perhaps most people are willing to.)

*And if the effort fails, does it make the attempt any less heroic?

And I don’t watch awards shows either.

Reynard, my answer is neither, unless the building is collapsing around the worker as he works or the drone operator is working in a burning trailer and knows it is Osama bin Laden he has targeted.

This is not drain surgery people! Lighten up a little.

Plumbers just display their “crack” to make sure there are no onlookers.

I know what my plumber costs and I also know that the few times I’ve had to call, they’ve earned their money. As for those who criticize “warmongers”, keep in mind that not everyone who is in the military wants to start wars. I’m not going to get into an argument with you about whether we should be in the wars we’re in, but I will say you don’t have to worry about GW and Cheney having statues of them on horseback. Back down, take a deep breath, and quit lashing out at everyone whom you should be thanking.

And for those who just need to know, those long-tail tees are still sold by their originator, Duluth Trading Co. I love’em!

“http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/duluth-ingenuity/longtail-ts-longtail-shirts/longtail-ts-longtail-shirts.aspx”