I'm a word guy.
Never made any apologies for that. Not likely I'm going to start now.
First, because, for as along as I can remember, I've been of the school that there is really is no such thing as too much knowledge or too much ability.
Second, because when the part of the brain that accesses the "fair is fair" part of my psyche kicks in, I feel a certain responsibility, even obligation, to honor the hard work and selflessness of countless English teachers in my educational history who, for very little reward other than the satisfaction of a job well done (and mail some of that into the electric company sometime and see how long the flat screen stays lit up) did their best, while I was in their academic charge, to instruct me, encourage me, even nurture me to be as articulate, expressive, even erudite as I was capable of being.
Clearly, the fact that I just used the words articulate, expressive and erudite in the same sentence is a testament to the contribution of those teachers and their ability to impart into at least a few of their students a vocabulary that runs deeper than your more commonly heard, everyday, garden variety articulations.
Bursts of brilliance like "hey, wanna catch some lunch?"......"wow, did you, like, catch what Kim said to Khloe last night?'....and a particular favorite of mine, given the depth of intelligence, articulation and erudition that it symbolizes.
"Lock her up."
Which brings me around to the specific word that sent this train of thought chugging out of the station and it's application, or lack there of, in the America of 2017.
The word, in a few moments.
The application?
Actually, not so much.
At least, not in the America of 2017.
The temptation resisted in that last sentence was to use another term that gets bandied about pretty regularly these days. A term that I use whenever, and only when, it's necessary to make a point like the point at the end of the line of this thought train.
Trump's America.
First, the term itself implies an ownership that neither technically, nor factually, correct.
Second, the term itself makes my asshole pucker.
How's that for erudition?
This past week, I had the occasion to guest host on statewide talk radio and, among other timely topics, addressed the social climate in the country in the America of 2017. I related the recollections of television host Megyn Kelly, specifically the horrific and hateful voice mail messages she received after the infamous campaign debate in which she had the gall, the temerity, to question Trump on the subject of misogyny.
"I got all these voicemails", Kelly shared, "saying you're a real cunt...and there was one", Kelly quotes," that said nobody gives a damn about misogyny....somebody actually said that to me," Kelly said.
A sexual harassment advocate and attorney on Kelly's show replied "...we are at a tipping point of a movement and America is really grapping with this, coming to terms with the fact there is a problem."
To my own listening audience last week, I added this.
I'm going to go you one better…..Sexual harassment is rooted in an unacceptable abuse of power………….but that abuse of power has become epidemic in the culture in general…..
social media, talk radio: the “freedom” to say whatever
you want whenever you want with NO REGARD WHATSOVER for civility, courtesy, respect or even simple human decency.
Megyn Kelly got voicemails calling her a cunt.
When I guest host these shows, inevitably out of the
many positive or respectfully disagreeing comments or posts or texts, etc, there
are crude, rude and unacceptable ones…..
AND THE attitude and tone of that type of behavior starts
at THE TOP…with a man who got to the White House by belittling people,
denigrating people, insulting people, behavior that continues to THIS DAY and
the only thing supporters and fans, have to say is “it’s good to have a
President who tells it like it is…..
Well, to those of you who like those who tell it like it is….HERE”S HOW IT
IS……Life, at least on a surviving in the global world of 2017, is NOT A grudge match in the WWE…..it is NOT
a SUPER BOWL WHERE The team that kicks the other ass the hardest wins, it is
NOT a reality show where the bitchiest back stabbers triumph over the less
bitchy backstabbers…It is not about hold my beer...or hey, watch this...or aw, hell, I can do that…....IT IS about strategy,
knowing when to move and when to not move, when to speak forcefully, or softly
or know when to just shut the hell up…Every battle is won or lost before it's fought….that was written thousands of years ago by an Asian warrior and
strategist named Sun Tzu……The Art of War……you should take a shot at giving it a
read some time…..and you might just discover why your hero Donald’s ghostwriter
named his book The Art of the Deal….
And here’s how those of us who don’t want to be subjected
to that hatred and venom and viciousness anymore put a stop to all of this…..we’re going to delete your posts and your
comments, we are going to answer NONE of what you have to say….we are going to
turn our backs on you and we have no interest whatsoever in what you want or
what you say or what you think…….we don’t have to change your minds……all we
have to do…..is make you….irrelevant……..because that’s what you are…………..you want to
weigh in? you know where to find me….but I’m a man of my word…abuse the
privilege and cross the line…I’ll delete your comment….or I’ll hang up on
you….because starting today, what you have to say is IRRELEVENT.
The on air response to my come to Jesus moment was telling.
A few supportive, positive endorsements that, in one form of another, came down to "yeah, what you said".
And from everyone else?
Nothing.
Silence.
Exactly what one expects from blowhards and bullies and cowards who are forced to put up or shut up.
And I'll go you one better on that score, as well.
Were it not for the existence of Twitter....and the almost like clockwork, every three months or so, love me, need me, adore me, worship me, make me feel like less than a hollow shell of a sad, scared, pathetic excuse for a grown man gatherings hilariously referred to as "rallies", here's what the America of 2017 would be hearing from the, term used very, very loosely, current President of the United States.
Nothing.
Silence.
Exactly what one expects from blowhards and bullies and cowards who are forced to put up or shut up.
Like I said at the outset, I'm a word guy.
I read em', I write em', I create em', I print them, I publish them.
I broadcast them.
Here's a word I like a lot.
That specific word I mentioned earlier I would be sharing with the America of 2017 today.
And by way of sharing it, two thoughts I'm willing to bet any amount of money you'd like to bet.
Donald Trump wouldn't know the meaning of the word if the definition were spelled out for him on a couple of those big placards held up during those almost like clockwork, every three months or so, love me, need me, adore me, worship me, make me feel like less than a hollow shell of a sad, scared, pathetic excuse for a grown man gatherings hilariously referred to as "rallies".
And...
Donald Trump has obviously never seen the classic musical "Singin' in the Rain" starring Gene Kelly.
Dignity.
Always, with dignity.
Not in the America of 2017, kids.
And most certainly, without a whisper of doubt, NOT in that mystical, delusional land of those who don't give a damn about misogyny....or have any use for the cunts who have the audacity to ask reasonable questions.
Trump's America.
