Round ’em Up and Haul ’em Away

All right, since I’m holed up here with an ugly 8-inch incision in my knee and walking around the living room like a wounded, wing-clipped albatross, I thought I would try writing. You know, this is what you do when you’re high on narcotics because, after all, it makes perfect sense. In your babblings, you’re bound to bumble out something prophetic, right? Or, incredibly stupid. Either way, it won’t be anything those who know me don’t already expect. It’s the classic, “It seemed like a good idea at the time…”

I see the Pro-Palestinian, anti-Semitic sit-ins and protests that are going on a several college campuses and am so saddened by the misguided actions of these poor, pathetically ignorant and ill-informed, brainwashed sheep of the far left. As usual, it’s always an emotional claim for human rights and equality, in this case for those who least deserve consideration. The lack of knowledge, rational or critical thinking among these protestors is epidemic. Are they just chasing the next bandwagon cause, egged on by hired rabble-rousers? They certainly don’t know much about the current situation or the long history of events that have led us to today’s middle east confrontations.

I am also both encouraged and predictably disappointed in the reaction of college administrators regarding the actions of these students, quasi-students, and professional protestors. I’m appalled by those who give-in to demands, who practice appeasement. Appeasement NEVER, EVER works. It only gives strength to the minority and delays the inevitable confrontation, incurring more damage as a result along the way. Now, the University of Florida, they’ve got it right. This is a quote from the U of F regarding protestors on their campus:

“This is not complicated,” a university spokesman said. “The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children – they knew the rules, they broke the rules and they’ll face the consequences.” How about that – there are consequences for your actions, particularly when you trample on the access to education other students pay for. Universities have rules for those things. It’s just that few of the leaders of these institutions of supposed ‘higher’ learning (not higher education or moral fortitude, that’s for sure) have the integrity, courage, or moral compass to uphold and enforce them. Except, in this case, for at least Florida.

I have to confess I love that quote from Florida. Direct, short, to the point. My kind of statement. We’re not F-ing around, kiddies. Put on your big boy pants and your big girl panties. Stop being sheep so easily led with simple, wrong-minded solutions; do some critical learning and thinking, understand emotional thinking rarely results in a just outcome. Deep, rational, thoughtful examination of this situation is required. This is thousands of years of religious and ethnic issues. The Israelis have every right to defend themselves. If Hamas is so chickenshit to use civilians as a military diversion tactic, then the only way to stop that is to show them it will not be a deterrent. Perhaps then, they will stop using it. Your idea to just hand Hamas and the Palestinians whatever they want today will not appease them. They want to annihilate the other side, that is all they will accept. And then, they will come for you. What’s to stop them? Certainly, not you weak-minded pussies.

War is ugly and costly in every sense of the word. When I was growing up, the consideration of who was right, who had the moral high ground, who was defending their existence were the only factors we ordinary citizens were primarily concerned with. Today, we want to celebrate and support the causes of those who advertise themselves as victims. Villains know that about us. So, they cry wolf; “The lady dost protest too much, methinks.” You think Shakespeare may have actually known what he was talking about? Oh, I forgot. You students are too busy laying around in tents with a sign than to attend class and actually read “Hamlet.” What a thought – you might actually learn something at an institution of learning that relates to real life by going to class. Isn’t that primarily what you’re here for? What a novel idea.

I’m reminded of the classified ad I saw decades ago, back in the day when there was no internet and newspapers were full of classified ads. It said, “For Sale – Encyclopedia Brittanica. No longer needed. 18 year old son knows everything.” For those of you not old enough to know what an encyclopedia is, they were an annually updated, 20+ volume set of large, hard-bound books universally used as a base reference for pretty much anything you needed to know about our world (Wikipedia would be today’s low-bar equivalent.).

I’m sorry, but 18 – 22 year olds know nothing about life, the complexities, the personalities, the shades of grey, the tradeoffs. Everything in life is essentially a negotiation. Mob rule is not free speech, it’s the trampling of it. Unlawful action is not negotiation. They have no clue how to negotiate. They’re idea is to pout and make unreasonable demands. In my life, I never listen to people like that. I have no time for drama or crybabies. Give me a real plan for moving forward. Oo – that’s part’s harder, isn’t it. Requires some real work, doesn’t it. Dig in. Let’s go. Oh, by the way, you might have to compromise. The real world knows there are others to consider. Sorry if that hurts your little feelings.

Look at that – I got so wound up over those misguided young-uns I completely forgot about my knee for a while. Guess my plan worked. Now, what else can I write to forget about my knee? This time I’ll try and pick something a little more fun.