And one more thing...

Not sure whether to laugh or cry about this, although I think we are all about to the point now where things like this that make us want to chuckle need to be taken more seriously.  This is not just one crazy individual but someone who is at a state university and was given access to writing this racist screed in a university paper.

White folks DNA is an abomination

I don't want to dedicate too many words to this piece specifically because it is clearly someone who is not well, has an ax to grind, and is also baiting folks to react in kind - so they can be called racist while he is, I am sure, considered a "community activist".

Is this really where we are headed?  Do people like this really want to start a civil war?  I cannot see any other way this goes.

My belated Veteran's Day thoughts.

Realized I had not posted anything for Veteran's day this year.  Looked back at last year's post and wanted to reiterate and expand a bit.

A year later and I still resonate to the idea that, as a soldier, I served under two presidents - Carter and Reagan.  Neither on my list of favorites. But I never thought of them except when I saw all the pictures on the walls of my Chain of Command or when training young soldiers who was in their chain of command.  I was not training and serving for them.  I thought of my my job and the soldiers to my left and right.  As I gained rank and responsibility, I thought of those I trained, how I might give them the skills necessary to face the day the nation cashed the blank check each recruit signs.

I know many who are now serving or recently served and have/had no love for the administration they have served or the Commander in Chief at the top of that chain.  Still, they trained, some fought, many died - regardless of whether "Whoever that is is not my president".  Consider that, if those who serve were like those marching in and blocking the streets, smashing windows, attacking others and burning flags, taking knees for the national Anthem, there would be no flag, no nation, no ideals to which we all aspire, however unsuccessfully. These soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and guardians serve to support not the president of the day, but the ideals of the nation. Some think the only way they can honor the symbols of the nation, is if it is perfect in all respects. Given the impossibility of that. they apparently would have us give it up.

We have to hope that brave souls will continue to see the ideals and aspirations of this nation as worth standing, fighting and dying for and not turn to selfish and self-serving motivations such as taking a knee when they are called.

It is still true.

Complicity or picking apart the tragedy

For quite a while now we have been inundated by stories of sexual harassment. It is clearly a sad commentary on our society, pulling the curtain back on many unsavory issues that run across ideological lines. even those who are self-styled and revered social justice warriors have fallen to this tragedy.

One such of many:

The fall of the mighty continues.

This story is not unique given the ubiquitous recent reports but contains elements that highlight some things that must be considered and said.

- First, can we please not say that this is a problem with men?  Just like we are repeatedly admonished to never assume that terrorism is a problem of all Muslims and crime is a problem of all blacks, this is not all men.  In fact, although a minority, there have been complaints of men being harassed and assaulted as well - by other men.  This is a problem of men in power, men who see themselves as entitled, as untouchable, above law and common decency.  Men who preach morality, who say "Do as I say, not as I do."  This is a sad reflection of our culture's hero worship, its idolatry of celebrity and power - especially men in power.  It is an undesirable effect of considering the opinions and persona of such people critical and important.  While clearly less egregious, it is not dissimilar from the idea that NFL athletes have that they can do as they wish and no one will mind, no one can disagree. This is supported by the fact that reports almost universally say "everyone knew".  What subculture supports this kind of behavior?

- Second, and related stories such as the one recounted at the link above also evidence how passive and subservient people can be to those they see as in power. Again, this is not all women - this is certain women with certain men (more on that later).  The story details a nauseating tableau in which Lauer has a switch built into his desk with which he can lock his door (who the fuck does that?), a married woman in her 40s complies with Lauer's demand that she unbutton her blouse (and we worry about predators with our daughters?) and is then willing to endure being taken "doggy style" (my words) over his desk until she passes out on the floor and is taken by him to a nurse (who either could not figure this out, was not told, or did not care that this woman had been screwed into unconsciousness).  Then this story was not told for 16 years.

      Consider how this happens without the easy reversion to "well, it's men asshole!".  A culture that reveres and apparently submits to men in power creates a desire for power in those who want to dominate others and a sense of entitlement in those men who achieve it.  That a man, such as Lauer, Weinstein, Spacey, and so on did not question their own actions tells this story.  Consider who among men is drawn into such a world of wealth, power, politics; consider who, among women, may also be drawn into such a world and believes they must comply with such behavior, submit to such brutality, and hide it from the world. Just as a man may, 16 years later, express contrition for his acts, so a woman, who played that game years ago, might also now see it through a different lens. This is not meant to blame a victim, merely to highlight the subculture that suborns such behavior.
      Certain men may be drawn to such roles, but certain women are also likely drawn to their part is this tragic play.  I feel assured that the women I know in my life (and if they are with me, they were not drawn to power or wealth ;<)) would not have sat there timidly when the door was locked, would not have unbuttoned their blouse on command, and so forth.  Has no one taught the unfortunate victim(s) that she need not submit to power and that a "grab and rip" would have quickly stopped this sex act - prior to unconsciousness? 

Yep - that'll work

Never have I ever read a more psychotic, narcissistic, histrionic and absurd piece of tripe.  Well, that's not true, but this one is certainly competitive for craziness ever.

Oh, the insanity of it all

This is what our world is up against.  Let's see this in light of events yesterday in NYC and how people like this author react to them.  Her thesis in the piece linked above (hate to have to link such manure, but it does deserve public scrutiny and ridicule) is that all men, all masculinity are responsible for the evils of the world. No man is exempt from this guilt, as, well, men are masculine.

Fast forward to NYC - and remember that even though this one person who strongly identifies with a certain religious persuasion committed this heinous act, he was a bad one and it is not all of them.

A man or even many men act foolish - all men and masculinity are to blame.

A Muslim man commits murderous terror - an anomaly.

Right- that makes sense.

I am willing to accept that not all Muslims are terrorists or murderers.  Will this author and others accept that not all men are evil?

If masculinity does become toxic, remember that people like this author made it that way.  Sometimes you create your own enemies. Maybe one can make a case that we did that with Islam - although I think it is more likely the other way around. But this author, as did her (I assume) candidate of choice, defined a large segment of the population as evil, "deplorable", and the enemy.

I am reminded of what I am sure Rob Reiner considered a parody, but in this case rings too much of truth:  COL Nathan Jessup's tirade in A Few Good Men:  When there are no good people to stand on that wall, who does this author think will defend her?  As with many in the halls of academia (I know, I work there), there is little to no appreciation for the world out there and the role that good men and women play in it.

There is no reasoning with this mentality.