I did not realize that my family was going to advertise this blog all over the dang Internet. I am still in the process of trying to figure all this out and have already had to solicit the assistance of my daughter and my new daughter-in-law because of my technical incompetence. It is so cool to have two wonderful young women in my life. Of course they were easily able to fix the ills and now you can leave comments on my mindless ruminations, and if you have too much free time you can also subscribe.
I do appreciate everyone that has looked in and the kind words of encouragement I have received, especially from my conservative friends, who I love and cherish for their willingness to tolerate my apparently radical views.
This past weekend my wife announced that she wanted to go see the mating rituals of the woodcocks. Apparently a woodcock is a small bird and at dusk in late February they perform this fantastic ritual to find a mate. The males call out once on each compass point then take to wing. During this brief flight their wings making an alluring whistling noise. The woodcock equivalent of, how you doin, I guess. I have no idea how they create this sound or why it only happens when they fly in February. The wonders of nature!
This idea was planted in her head by two of our greatest friends so there was nothing else for it, we loaded up our lawn chairs and drove 30 minutes to sit in a field and wait on these birds to have foreplay.
While I was sitting there in near darkness, I couldn’t help but think that this is not what a Tennessee boy does unless he has brought along a shotgun. Am I totally emasculated? As I sat there in anticipation I just kept repeating in my head the lyrics – I’m a Man yes I am and I can’t help but love you so– over and over again. At last, we heard the anticipated call of the frustrated male and saw two or three in flight and fairly marveled at the sound of their beating wings. I am living out my own episode of Wild Kingdom.
Whether or not any of these boys were successful in attracting a lady I cannot say, but on behalf of all males, no matter the species, I say, “well done my brother.”
I’m am a Man yes I am!
This is me with my daughter Maggie on our way to the Women’s March in Washington. I am proud to stand with her! I hope this unretouched photo puts to rest the incessant interrogations and not so subtle implications that I wore a pink pussy hat. I assure you this has been a completely nonpartisan issue with my friends on both sides with each slinging unfounded accusations at me with total disregard for the facts. I have even been subjected to alternative facts, like being able to use Photo Shop.
In the distant background you can see the United States of America Capitol Building. President George Washington laid the cornerstone on September 18, 1793, in a Masonic ceremony. Perhaps more than any other building in our country, the Capitol is a symbol of the high ideals that the country is constantly striving and struggling to achieve.
Chief among these is the duty of the majority to protect the rights of the minority.
The Capitol has been a place where people of high principle argue great questions and with honor and a deep sense of duty come to the best decision that a free people can make. I remember the great southern author Shelby Foote saying in Ken Burn’s Civil War documentary that the great genius of American Democracy is our willingness and ability to compromise and when that broke down in 1861 the result was that over 600,000 good Americans killed each other.
I fear that in recent times this dignified symbol of American ideals has come to represent something less honorable. It seems as if it has become the place where the country’s tallest kindergartners periodically gather. A place where tall children come to bicker, refuse to listen, refuse to share and stomp their feet when they don’t get their way. If we allow them to continue to refuse to compromise or to seriously consider the point of view of those they disagree with then WE put the future of our democracy in grave peril! Not being willing to compromise is not standing on principle, it is being at best shortsighted and at worst foolishly childish.
I have no idea how we came to this. I suspect it evolved slowly over time until we are now in a place where it seems to be the default position of many of our leaders. During the Obama years, Texas Senator Ted Cruz said: “I don’t think what Washington needs is more compromise.” Ouch!
On September 12, 2012 Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said:
“The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” He did go on to say that he was willing to work with the President on certain issues if the President would only change his views and do what McConnell wanted. Hey Kentucky, did we ever say thanks for sending this guy to Washington. Now I remember why I try to avoid Kentucky if at all possible, it’s a scary place to me.
Anyway, I guess Obama didn’t come around to McConnell’s way of thinking and it seems almost nothing of significance was accomplished legislatively in the last four years. This obstinacy reached its triumphant pinnacle when McConnell refused to allow the President’s Supreme Court nomination to move forward in the Senate. I ask; how is this not an abdication of the duty of the Senate? What really bothers me is that it worked. 45 was elected and McConnell and the right will get their man. Doing a thing because you can does not make it the right thing.
Now I hear the leaders of the left (Pelosi and Shummer) talking in very similar tones, threatening to oppose 45 on everything. Maybe they will prevent his Supreme Court nominee from progressing, maybe they will oppose his military spending, maybe they will oppose his infrastructure projects. I wish the leaders of the left would take Michelle’s advice and “go high”. It is my sincere hope that they do not adopt the McConnell strategy.
I want the young people in my life, no matter how they lean politically, to know that this is not how it is supposed to be. This is not how America was built or how it became the country our forebears were so proud to call their home. Compromise is the American Genius! It must not be abandoned.
Politics has turned into a bizarre and incomprehensible torrent of continuous gamesmanship. Each side constantly pointing out the many shortcomings of the other; an unending and unquenchable craving to win each and every moment, especially on TV. Opinions are spouted as facts and you can probably find statistics to support the claim that I was responsible for World War I.
This is a serious, serious problem and if it becomes the standard operating procedure in Washington, nothing good can possibly result. I am very afraid that it is in fact rapidly and perhaps irreversibly taking place right before our very eyes. I fear it is the result of allowing extremists on both sides to drive the political bus and to drown out the voices of moderation that have served this country for so long and so well.
We have to have an effective two party system where both sides work toward building something, anything, please, damn it.
Holy moly, I thought I was an optimist. I need to go fishing (or maybe drinking- I can do that without leaving home, I think; need to check the cabinet).
Last time I suggested that trying to change the minds of those that disagree with us is futile at best and may be contributing to the problem of divisiveness (I love spell check) and now we find ourselves in a place where our leaders think compromise is as dirty a word as politician. Should today’s word be DOOM?
I hope not and now may haps we can explore how we got here and what we as young people (you can’t see me can you?) can do to return our political system to the one our founders envisioned and that so many prior generations did their best to uphold with honor.
I’ll be back after my fishing trip or when I sober up!
Love to all!
Another great read, keep’em coming!