What have we Learned? Nothing

Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence.
~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

The topic of murder has been on my mind for weeks. The current war on terror not withstanding, I recently covered with my students the Vietnam War, the shootings at Kent State and Jackson States, the RFK and MLK assassinations, and damaging environmental pollution by corporations in America.

When murders occur in America, most are accomplished with the use of guns. I equate guns with violence. Our military seeks out recruits on TV promoting "An Army of One". I believe this creates an evil dichotomy, Human Beings + guns=Violence.

The question must be asked, Can we as Americans be surprised when a person takes the lives of others acting on the elements of the violence that permeates our country and that we collectively support?

We fight terrorism abroad and yet see its destructive hand on the streets of our cities, in our schools, and in our homes all the time. The act of firing a gun is at the very least a means of creating a sense of terror. Thus, today every American no doubt must look deeply into their souls and think about the society we live in.

As the shock and horror of the shootings at Virginia Tech filtered through the news on Monday, it was impossible not to think about the shootings at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. I wondered out loud if the shooter thought he was an "Army of One".

I have since long been thankful my schools have often had some kind of break on the week of April 20th since. It was also clear to me that the nation had not learned enough in the past 8 years. Shootings at schools across the country has continued. Again, we had jackasses like Dr. Phil and Joe Scarbourgh on television getting on their pulpits to blame video games, movies, and music. Been there, done that. I am watching Rambo right now, and I don’t want to kill anyone. I do have an urge to join the Marines though…

Bullets

The fight over gun control has been a political issue in America for generations. My own kin have long developed a concept that gun control only keeps the weapons away from the poor, so that the government can oppress them. However, this has not lead the particular kin in question to actually purchase a firearm. For me, guns could vanish and my life would not change. For millions of Americans, they would cry to the heavens that they have been wronged in a way that would destroy their lifestyles. Fine enough. We all live in a fear based society anyway. My take is that we should do more to raise the price of bullets. Would today’s massacre have been prevented if an 8mm clip of 19 was $25,000? I think so.

My students questioned me at length the past few weeks when the topic of gun control fell nicely into the curriculum. I gave them the bullet hypothesis and watched as their minds were blown. I explained that I had no problem with guns, just the bullets. The bullets would destroy the lives of millions in our life time. I was inundated with responses. “What about the sport of hunting?” “What about the 2nd amendment?” “Mr. Prez, you are a dirty hippie!”(said in Jest) “Where are your Birkenstocks?” “Your right” “Go drive a hybrid”. “My father is in the NRA” ‘I was shot by my brother”.

My response, “I love death metal, and thus I can’t be a hippie.” I added “Well the Birks are out of the closet,and the Hybrid will be purchased by 2025 when I can afford one.” (Now that is Teacher of the Year material).
Next time I will expose them to the Downing Street Memo. They will think up is down.

Now, it is time we check this out, and learn to stop the senseless violence in this country and around the world.

This particular speech seemed very apropos today.

Strength and Honor....

No Mas?

The anticipation was therapeutic. After the Patriots collapse in Indianapolis last weekend, knowing a night of pugilism was around the corner kept up the spirits during a long week of work.

My spirits began to fade as soon as I entered the Mohegan Sun Arena early to meet former World Champion Roberto Duran. Roberto is now short and very bloated. Not unlike the current rendition of The Prez unfortunately. The site of Duran wearing an ill conceived police chief’s hat was pitiful. I first considered asking him to sign my pizza box. Next I wondered if he would sign it “No Mas-Roberto Duran”. A guy ahead of me mentioned it, and Duran got pissed. I shook his hand an had him sign my ticket. It was completely illegible. Unfortunately, Duran is a caricature and a cliché. He is a retired boxer. During the evening they trotted him out before every match. It was more depressing each time.

Going to a night of boxing is literary hit or miss. It can be the most electric sporting event of you life, or feel like you are watching paint dry, even worse then NASCAR. The late arriving crowd slowly got amped up, but the bouts were crap. Many in my section said the best fight of the night was the one I actually got involved in, when a young couple in front of me got into a fight. The Prez abhors domestic violence in all of its forms. These people were young and the guy was clearly out of control, and the girl was very upset about it. I was kind of pissed no one reacted to his initial outburst, which included yelling racial epithets at the boxers. When he turned it on his girlfriend it was on. I told him to cool it, he started calling her a whore and pushed her into her seat, I told him to shut his mouth and hopped in between them.

He did not challenge me to a dance off. I was keeping it real. He called me F**, only now seeing he was actually 7 inches taller then me, I called him a C*** B****, he leaped at me and tripped over the seat, I took the opportunity to stomp on his candy ass with my Docs. Security ran down and hauled us out. People in the section told them not to take me, but I went anyways. I filled out a report with another dude from the section so our stories could be corroborated. The couple turned out to each be 19. The kid was given a breathalyzer test, and failed. The girl was actually really pretty after she stopped crying. During our conversation while her boyfriend was being processed, she said she was a figure skater. She got picked up by her older brother who was very thankful for my heroism. She gave me her number. However, am through with the young enabler head cases. I probably will call her in a couple days just to see if she has already taken him back. Attractive women are the worst at choosing who to date. This guy was scum by any definition. I just don’t get it.

Why more boxers choose not to enter the ring with “Walk” by Pantera playing is beyond my comprehension. It was the coolest thing about RVD.

The main event started as a show stopper. Both Teddy Reid and Rickey Gutierrez were laying haymakers. Then, Gutierrez hit Reid with a shot to the gut and Reid went down reacted like it was a low blow, the referee continued counting all the way to ten. Upon further review it looked like a low blow, with the crowd ruling about 70/30 that it was a low blow. It was really too bad, I think a knockout was inevitable had it continued. It was the only time I really wanted Teddy Atlas’s and Joe Tesatore’s analysis. Despite being at ringside, they were never fed over the loud speaker. That was lame.

For the last bout, I moved to a lower section across the arena. Much better seats. Plus, a group of hot ladies were just showing up for the last fight. They were totally wasted. I talked with them throughout the last fight hoping my earlier karma boost may pay off. Even the mandatory shout out to The Don of New England boxing, the ever present Vinny Pazienza, went by the wayside. One of the ladies noticed what a player Vinny Paz was. Now, I normally turn into Jules from Pulp Fiction in these scenarios. I channel my inner Samuel L Jackson. Totally cool and in control, while using the phrase, “Bad “Mother F*****” a lot. I know I am not the Big Man, so I play it safe. The swearing gives my ridiculously homely demeanor an edge. Then one of the women next to me actually puked little on the seat next to her. I got up and walked out. A fitting end to a truly bizarre evening.

The rumor is that Pro Boxing returns to The Sun at the end of February. An usher asked if I would be back. My eventual response? …Si.