There’s been a lot of unrest lately. Most of it silliness. I’ve had some run-ins when parties get out of hand. So I can say with some authority that when the cops show up the party is over. Period. End of Discussion.
For instance back in the day if you are partying in Georgetown in the area under K St, in front of the Bayou, and things got a bit rambunctious, the guys with nightsticks and the guys on horses would show up. That was the signal to exit stage left. While the guys with the billy clubs were bad, never, ever screw with the Horse. It’ll kick, bite, or shit on you and you have zero recourse. You don’t want to be anywhere near them when they march sideways, pushing a crowd.
I’d like to delve into the morality play that’s going on. But I will say, as usual, others have commented better than me. Or better yet, beat me to it.
The first of the two links is this one here; https://adaptivecurmudgeon.com/2020/06/24/lao-tzu/
I can’t argue with much of this. I will add that as I’ve seen people act out, with what I’ve noticed, is by taking the three of the worst deadliest sins in Catholicism; pride, anger, and envy, and weaponize them.
For those not familiar with deadly sins are seven of them. They’re called deadly because the’re poisonous. Once you act on them it affects others, just like you. Not unlike a virus.
This section stuck with me;
“The mythical Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu–credited with authoring the Taoist wisdom classic Tao Te Ching–left his city to live alone in the mountains during an analogous period in Chinese history. The takeaway from the legend is clear: wisdom and virtue have no business in a civilization coming unglued. Ideas don’t matter; dialogue isn’t useful or appreciated; and traditions distilled from millennia of life might as well be a third antler on a deer.” [Emphasis mine.]
That stuck with me.
“Wisdom and virtue have no business in a civilization coming unglued.”
“Lao Tzu knew the score. He fucked off to the mountains. As have I.”
They really don’t care what you have to say.
I will add one thing; I spent a lot of time working menial jobs on the low end of the food chain, with people on the low end of the food chain. One thing that is a constant is that regardless of race, most of these people are their own worst enemies. They do incredibly stupid and self-destructive things, and then will come up with all sorts of explanations why and seek to put blame anywhere else but with themselves.
For these guys, I’d say it doesn’t matter how righteous your cause may be, it is never okay to hurt someone, steal or break their stuff. This includes doxxing them and ruining their lives. They don’t get the irony of squawking about free speech and then ruining it for others. Your cause, no matter how righteous, doesn’t give you license to hurt others in any way. Especially if you’re chasing ghosts. Do you really see Orval Faubus everywhere?
The other article about this that I kind of like is here by Charlie Daniels, of all people; https://www.charliedaniels.com/soap-box?b_id=6262&pg=1
Here’s the money quote:
“Gun sales are through the roof and America is locked and loaded to protect their families and their neighborhoods.
If things are allowed to fester and spread, in my opinion, and at least amongst the people I am familiar with and the area I live in, they will not allow their cities to be occupied, their businesses destroyed nor their lives interrupted without a fight and almost everybody I know has guns and knows how to use them.”
I know a lot of people that have a lot of guns, and they know how to use them. My fear here is somebody will take it too far, and then really bad things are going to happen. This doesn’t have to be.
You know, as I see these events unfold, I’m reminded about how bad my education in history was in high school. It’s probably even worse now as the trend is to shun Western history. Closest example to what’s happening today is the French Revolution. And people romanticize it! But in reality there was a long period of time called the “reign of terror”.
In every revolution, even our own, the people it torched it off suffered. Many gave their lives. A lot of these fools I see on video have no idea that if they get their way they’ll be among the first up against the wall, by their own people.
We saw this in the CHAZ/CHOP zone. Is this what you want? Is this where things will lead in your vision? Might makes right? Because that’s what happened. When you blow away law and order, you get Might Makes Right. And remember this; there’s always somebody mightier than you.
Our system isn’t great. But it’s far from fatally flawed.
By the way, The French Revolution was ended by Napoleon, a strongman.
Is that what you want? That’s what will happen.
Just like in neighborhoods all across America; if there’s no one to restore order, order will be restored by the mightiest. Is that optimal?
People these days don’t think these thoughts. They don’t use applied logic, it appears to be missing. No one thinks if I do “this”, what might happen? They just barge right in.
Because their cause is just and their heart is pure.
Well, will see.
Something’s going to happen, and I’m not hopeful.
Inspected By Pat 