Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Zorgos

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. I know this because my wife and her mother wrote a book called The Bullying Antidote, and they will be hosting the first annual Zorgos Awards this weekend to celebrate the best and brightest lights in the anti-bullying movement. I wasn't nominated, probably due to claims of nepotism, but I like to think I'm doing my part, specifically when it comes to the Bully In Chief.
This past Saturday morning, instead of spending another week flogging the NFL for not living up to his expectations, or berating the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, his orangey goodness decided to complain that he is not getting "Equal Time" when it comes to air time on television. The irony being that I honestly can't remember when an American president has been so pervasively evident in media of all kinds. This blog in particular. Remember when you could land here in Entropical Paradise and occasionally get a nice little story about the boys and  girls at my school or maybe some fond memory of a cheeseburger I once ate?
No more. This fertile garden of discontent is too fascinating to just walk away. Who knows what stupid, lame-brain thing will come tumbling out his mouth or Twitter account next? It's a train wreck of an administration, and we cannot  look away. 
But let's get back to his complaint: "Late Night host are dealing with the Democrats for their very 'unfunny' & repetitive material, always anti-Trump! Should we get Equal Time?" The quick answer, obviously, is "no." The challenge initially would be finding a Trump supporter who was funny. On purpose. Not the head-shaking-did-he/she-really-just-say-that-way. Scott Baio? Then there is the more complex constitutional question of whether both sides of any issue demand a free and open hearing so that both parties' viewpoints can be heard. That seems to be covered by the President's ability to call news conferences and create nationwide television addresses. Last Fall, a presidential debate went head to head with the NFL. It turns out that there was more money in football. And the previous resident of the White House chose not to preempt the 2011 kickoff game with his speech about jobs. Some things are just more important that what the President has to say.
So, is the NFL the bully here? Is our current "President" the victim? Nope. He's looking for anyone or anything to blame for his despicable behavior and dismal ratings. It would seem that not winning a popular vote has some down sides. Like the folks who create those "unfunny" TV shows who don't share his views on making America great again. The ones that a great many Americans are turning to in order to make sense of the current maelstrom of absurdity pouring out of the Presidential ducts. The "President" is a bully, and he is demanding that we bow and kneel as he sees fit, with little or no regard to public opinion. With no discernible sense of humor of his own, he assumes that everyone is laughing at him. Which turns out to be true for the most part. And how do we deal with bullies? By being an upstander. Don't be a bystander, watching the bully use his sad power one more time. Speak up. Get a late night television show and speak your mind. Or a blog. And celebrate Anti-Bullying Month.

1 comment:

Kristen Caven said...

Honey, you get the Zorgos Award every day for using your words so well. I wish more people would have made nominations. I didn't want it to look like Nepotism. I'll buy you dinner, lieutenant MC!

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