Regarding Courage [View all]

"Courage is fire, bullying is smoke.” – Benjamin Disraeli

Last evening, a niece of an old friend sent me a photograph, asking, “Is this you?” I said that it was me at the time, in the homeless teen in his senior year of high school! She had found the picture in her grandmother's photo album, asked her mother who it was, and was surprised it was me. This, I suspect, is because fifty-plus years has resulted in me looking a tad older and uglier.

Because I have achieved a status as being a pathetic old man who complains about everything and tires from weeding my garden rapidly, and seeking any excuse to take a break, I thought, “By golly, I should go inside for a drink of water, and to read through DU:GD.” (Note: I did complain to the dog, saying the water seemed too wet for my liking, but like every human I encounter, she ignored me.) Then I sat in my g-g-grandfather's rocking chair, and ventured onto DU:GD.

As always, I read a lot of things that I agreed with 100%. And I read things that I understood, appreciated, and respected, but that I didn't really agree with. One issue involves dealing with a bully, for example, the fella in the White House. Clearly, the maga-republicans in the House and Senate are intimidated by him. They have seen him rant against the very few republicans who have disagreed with him, often ending their political careers. In very large part, this included that fella's cult members threatening them and their families.

As a result, perhaps, of the synergy from seeing that ancient picture of myself and reading about the bully, I thought back to how I dealt with individuals who, when backed by two or three of their beast fiends, mistakenly thought they wanted to fight me. Gracious! I taught my children the proper response, as I view it as an important life skill. Each of the four would ask, “Kick him in the balls?” The answer is no, as that is what they expect, which dictates social spacing.

As soon as the loud mouth – always the leader – said either, “This isn't boxing....” or “You hit me first,” I would deliver a palm-upward blow to lift their chin, or one attempting to drive their nose inward. Both of these will cause the guy's eyes to water, and in the split-second they stood stunned, the last thing they would hear before eventually regaining consciousness was my left hook sizzling towards their chin. I would then gently lift their head by their hair, place two fingers near both of his eyes, and ask, “Who wants to see your friend's eyes pop out?” Not a single one would raise their hand. Indeed, they would tend to lose respect for – and fear of – the limp body of their now former leader.

These days, of course, I am non-violent. This is not exclusively because I am old and feeble. In my early adulthood, my mind was opened to a better way by mentors, classrooms, and books. For one thing, I make sure I'm not in a situation these days where there is an increased risk of encountering an angry maga or any other aggressive fool. But as an American, like you, I inhabit a land where a cowardly bully sleeps in White House meetings, waking only briefly to spout threats and lies. Where the members of his party are afraid to honor their oath of office.

He intimidated most world leaders, who correctly viewed him as an unstable, destructive force. Now, besides Netanyahu, there were the leaders of China and Russia that knew they could play him. But most didn't really speak up, until Netanyahu got him to engage in this war against Iran. It will take three days, a week at very most, Netanyahu told him. Surprise, surprise. Iran will not back down.

The leaders of other nations refused to help the fella when he started to recognize he has started a war he can not “win.” Damaging the world economy hasn't made him more popular or intimidating. More than any any other war in our nation's history, this president has humiliated the nation, and severely damaged our global standing. Even a significant number of republican Senators have begun to dare to oppose the president, on his corrupt slush fund.

I've said all that, to say this: we must recognize that we are in new territory. The president will lash out at any republican who votes against the slush fund. Or who dares speak publicly about the mess he has created by attacking Iran. He will verbally attack Democratic Party candidates in the mid-terms. His hot air will be exhaled into dog whistles advocating threats and violence against his “enemies.” And we will kick the republicans' behinds in November.

Properly done – it is up to us – I'm not saying we will win enough Senate seats needed to convict him when he is impeached. But there will be enough republican votes to do so.

H2O Man