Apologies

Sorry I’ve been neglecting this poor little blog ‘o mine. Both Dagmar and I have been incredibly busy. I’ll spare you the details, but between problems at work, doing stuff with the American Legion Riders and the Independent Riders for Children & Charities (as well as maintaining their web sites) and life in general, we’ve been running on naught but willpower for weeks. I shall return to writing regularly, I promise! I miss it.

Governmental Inadequacy

United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has GOT to go. The “party of values” has been letting Mr. Gonzales lie to Congress and the American People for too long. It’s time for a change. Mr. Gonzales is a detriment to our government and should be replaced. I have a LOT more to say about this subject, but I’ll refrain. Suffice it to say that I know small children who have a better grasp of what the phrase “take responsibility for your actions” means than Mr. Gonzales, Vice President Dick Cheney, and President George W. Bush.

Heroes

The Atlanta Falcons have a problem. Their star quarterback, Michael Vick, has been indicted for nasty things — notably dog fighting. I have several thoughts on this issue.

1. What sort of man are you if you need to use an animal to prove your masculinity? “I have the meanest dog on the block, therefore I am a big man.” To me that shows a distinct lack of character, confidence, and sense of self. We all do this sort of transference, mostly unconsciously. I know I bought my motorcycle because it’s comfortable, it’s the right size for my purposes, and the price was right. But I also have to admit to a certain vicarious glee in the knowledge that the motorcycle is also big and loud… Some people buy big houses, thinking that will somehow make them better human beings. Old-time big-game hunters thought that shooting an elephant with a rifle made them more manly somehow. The difference is with dog fighting there is cruelty, suffering, and painful death involved. If your ego demands you mutilate a dog, there’s something wrong. Go buy a big truck or something.

2. Innocence is presumed until found guilty. That makes it hard for the NFL to take any truly punitive action against Mr. Vick at the moment. However, if a professional bicycle racer is caught using steroids, they’re immediately banned from participation in the sport until the lab results come in. At least that’s the way I understand it… So can’t the NFL use that as a precedent for suspending Mr. Vick, without pay, until this is resolved? The trial date isn’t until November, but Mr. Vick’s alleged activities are certainly a detriment to the NFL’s image.

3. This is the big one for me. I heard someone say that Mr. Vick should go unpunished, as “he’s a hero to many children in Atlanta.” No, I hate to say it, but Mr. Vick is no hero. He’s a football player. He has no superpowers. He has sacrificed nothing. Pat Tillman, the NFL star who quit football and left a multimillion dollar contract in order to join the Army and subsequently died in Iraq, is a hero. Audy Murphy, the cowboy actor of the 1940s who left Hollywood to become the most decorated soldier in American history during WWII, is a hero. The man who works 60+ hours at the factory each week, then volunteers to help at the Soup Kitchen — he’s a hero. There are many, many heroes. Mr. Vick is not one of them.