I could, of course, write about
Malheur which, happily enough, is now free of its malcontents. Goodness knows I have a lot of thoughts about it. Mostly, perhaps, a feeling of relief that things did not end more violently or destructively than they did. Though more than that, I think, it makes me both angry and sad that people like David Fry are not better educated. I've hated him, it's true, but now I mostly feel sorry for him--and for all those like him, in this country and elsewhere, who are such prey for whatever lunacy comes along. The final quotes I saw from him, about how he had a "legit job" and shouldn't have to pay taxes to fund abortions and "I declare war against the federal government as a citizen of the constitution" were just so disjointed and bizarre; it seemed like he was a malfunctioning robot spitting out random catchphrases. Had he finally given himself up singing, "
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do . . . ," I don't know that I'd have been entirely surprised. Scott suggests that the rote-learning of "no child left behind" education is at least partially responsible for Fry seemingly being so incapable of critical thought. Me, I just find it sad and sick and wrong. And I really hope that nothing explodes at Malheur. Or elsewhere.
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| The Fargo, tovarisch! |
But, I insist, that's not what I'm writing about here because that's just a downer of a subject, man, and critical thinking is overrated. No, I am pleased to announce that my replacement
bandbox llc helmet arrived today and, by gum, with some expert fitting by Monsieur Bailey, I think it's going to be a functional piece of safety equipment. (Helpful tip: the website might suggest that if your head is 21.75" in circumference you could be either a small or a medium, but you're really a small.)
Sadly, I feel like it might be too late for the Fargo (to which I've added a Soviet badge for a bit of
je ne sais quoi) this year; while I really wanted earflaps a few weeks ago, now they seem like overkill and I ask myself, "Why didn't I get the
Bostonian?" Odds are it's too early for the Cape May but I am eagerly awaiting the next spring-like day.
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| The Cape May, aka the cycling bonnet |
I know you're talking about bonnets but I want to go back, for just one second, to Malheur. If the "medias" (as one of the malcontents calls them) would stop taking seriously what the occupiers claim is the root of their discontent, I truly believe it would help; because people who lack critical thinking skills will believe there is real cause at the root of this lunacy when reporters pretend there is. Newscasters saying things like, "What is at the root of this occupation?" should be answered with, "Ignorance and insanity! That's what." Instead, we get lectures about the history of land use in the West. I would never deny that trouble over land use in the west and the tension between federal and state ownership isn't a real thing that requires constant vigilance (thank you, Professor Moody), but these malcontents are not victims of that tension; nor even, in the case of David "If you all say 'hallelujah' I'll come out!" Fry, slightly aware of that tension. He just saw a good time with snacks and drove on over. My state is run by legislators who are currently ranchers and farmers, almost to a person. Their feelings about this are conflicted and complicated, to say the least. But even they acknowledge (again, almost to a person) that this occupation was ridiculous and ill-conceived and a waste of money, time, and, in the end, human life.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I prefer to talk about cycling bonnets. It's all just too too dispiriting. I don't know if Mr Fry saw a chance for snacks. I think he saw a chance to be important and/or to have a focus for his sense of having been misused. Maybe neither of those things would have been addressed by different schooling. Maybe there's something else entirely that I don't understand. Maybe we could discuss this on the road to Malheur. Or Damascus. I'm not particular.
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