Not Sardonic

January two years ago was bitter cold. Weather now, 66 overcast, 100% humidity, perfect January dawning, Monday -- T-storms?

For eight years we lived in Pennsylvania, in the aura of Joe Paterno, and cannot help feeling the tragedy and anguish. Sue Paterno said “After sixty-one years, he deserved better.” Yes, he did. Someone said “He died of a broken heart.” Yes, he did. Are you proud, Sandusky? Shame, Sandusky, shame eternal. Sandusky to Wonderland with Alice, to face the Queen of Hearts.

Image, or substance: when brass trumps integrity, and greed, honor; and power is handed to the noisiest, the brashest. Do societies actually choose political leaders based on rhetorical bluster? Rhetoric is not real. Rhetoric is hot air, signifies neither skill, nor competence, nor truthfulness, nor knowledge, nor honor, nor trustworthiness, nor a sense of justice, nor good judgment, nor personal character, nor leadership ability. One would not choose a rhetorician for one’s dentist, or to replace a heart valve, or to build one a house, or to paint one’s portrait, or to replace one’s roof, or to repair a leaky toilet, or to fix one’s car, or to rewire one’s house, or to command a warship, or to bake a chocolate cake, or to lead a platoon of troops, or to babysit one's child. The political leader has the power of life and death over the nation’s youth. Why under heaven choose a gasbag to lead the nation in the way of justice and peace.

Order of the White Feather First Class for Criminal Incompetence is awarded to Captain Francesco Schettino. Order Second Class is awarded to the cruise ship operator and owner for their public silence in response to the disaster. Among other innocents, someone's five year old daughter, and a honeymooner who could not swim are dead because of criminal incompetence, while the order of the day at Costa and Carnival is CYA silence. Shame. Shame, shame, shame, shame, shame.

String of incidents of Afghan soldiers turning weapons on allied troops is officially termed -- “Isolated.” Four unarmed French soldiers murdered and many wounded, Karzai “saddened,” sends condolences, Sarkozy “livid,” weighing early withdrawal. Is Obama “livid,” weighing early withdrawal? Why not? We have sufficiently “punished” Afghanistan for 9/11; after ten years it should be clear that we cannot establish American democracy in a Black Hole.

In time, society may become wise, elect grandmothers, philosophers and gardeners to leadership, and send only politicians, rhetoricians and old men to war. One term in Congress, and off to the Front you go.

When will society become wise?

A man was sentenced to death. He told the king that if his execution were stayed for one year he could teach the king’s horse to talk. The king granted him the year. The man’s friend asked him if he was crazy. The man said, “In a year the king may die. Or I may die. Or the horse may talk.”

And society may become wise.