Let’s call it “The Peanuts Rule.” Charles Schulz long running comic strip “Peanuts” features a number of characters, Charlie Brown and his nemesis Lucy among them. My least favorite story line was how gullible young Charlie always was to think that Lucy would alter her behavior, especially in pulling back the football. Really, how many times do one’s expectations go unfulfilled before a change in tactics gets implemented? Sorry, but the truth is that “Obama-nation” is also known as “slow-learners-R-us.”
Then again, rather than vilify the Lucy’s in your life perhaps she should serve as a cautionary tale for the naïve among us. Yes, let’s develop that story line a bit and realize we can’t keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result. Ronald Reagan, as he usually did, had it right when he said, “Trust, but verify.”
It is a constant struggle in life not to give in to our weaker impulses, we don’t need to reflect very long to run up against just how flawed is man’s nature. Without going all pop psychologist on you just humor me and accept that having morals, understanding the difference between right and wrong, is what distinguishes mankind from the rest of the animal kingdom. This attitude, no doubt about it, has always been America’s talisman; we believe we can and should be a force for good in the world. Note to Obama-nation; “force,” unfortunately, is the operative word.
Now maybe your experience in life has been so different than mine that you can, rather effortlessly, see the good in everyone. In my experience one of life’s great ironies is that the longer we live the worse our eyesight gets and yet the clearer we can see everything. Simple truth: some people have extreme malice toward us and we must always be prepared to defend ourselves. Some of us see that more clearly than others.
My sainted Mother had a saying which she reminded me of whenever my spirits were flagging because some Lucy had pulled back the football yet again. Mom would say that “The longest, darkest hour is still but sixty minutes long.” In other words, this too shall pass. And besides patience and forgiveness Mom also tried to teach me to “turn the other cheek.” So, not for lack of her trying but some of my Mother’s better lessons just didn’t take. And I console myself with the knowledge that there in the Bible it also says my God is a mighty warrior.
Given my druthers I’d rather my country didn’t start fights, but we must always be prepared to finish them. Remember, some of “the bad guys” will never get the memo that Americans are “the good guys.”
But it seems that this President and those that follow him blindly, proverbial lemmings headed toward the cliff, have made us our own worst enemy. Who did Obama and friends underestimate this week? Frankly, I am tired of hearing it. Whether it’s calling ISIS the “JV’s,” or the Fort Hood shooting “work place violence” or acting surprised that North Korea would or could engage in cyber war against Sony or other parts of our country…wake up Obama-nation! There are, in fact, bad actors out there and some of them will do us great harm given the chance. The Lucy’s out there will not “re-set” their behavior without an incentive to do so; behavior modification is really fairly easy to understand. Bill Clinton had it pegged in 2008, when it comes to Obama, “this whole thing is a fairy-tale.” But some of us live in the real world and “get” that bad guys sometimes rule.
Since the elections of 2014 when Obama said, “I am not on the ballot but my policies are,” what has the President done? First he exceeded the authority granted by the Constitution by issuing his executive order on immigration. Then he pulled a Lucy on John Boehner and Republicans on the FY’15 funding omnibus bill. Then he announced a move to “normalize” relations with Cuba…this is a “lame duck” that didn’t get the election results memo. Actually he got the memo but he didn’t like what it said so he just ignores it…not unlike how he treats the Constitution. The hubris of Obama-nation is a deep well that quenches their thirst for power on a regular basis.
And there was another Peanuts character, Linus and his security blanket. Personally I prefer that the military provide our security blanket…if only Obama-nation would let them.
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David W. Thompson is a former State Representative in Alaska. He was a Township Administrator in New Jersey until he recently escaped. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at several colleges including Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC. A graduate of Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa. and the JFKennedy School of Government, Harvard University, he now resides in Easley, SC.