What is greatness? I find myself asking myself that today as I think about the passing of Ted Kennedy. What is it that makes a man great? Is it the services her performs on behalf of others? Is it the acts he performs in his personal life? Maybe it is a combination of both.
I think there are very few truly great men and women on the Earth. A lot of that is determined by your definition of “greatness”. A lot of people, though misguided, would argue that Bill Clinton is a great man. Even if I thought he was a great President, which I disagree with, does a great man defile the Oral, I mean Oval Office in the way he did? Is a great man someone that cheats repeatedly on his wife?
On the other side of the spectrum, is a man great because he is a loving spouse and father? Is that man great if he goes into work and treats everyone around him like trash? For me, greatness in one area does not mean that one is a great person. People think Obama is great. He is an excellent orator, I will not take that away from him, but I would hardly even consider him a good President at this point.
We use the term “so and so was a great man/woman” far too often. Nowadays, any time someone of any note dies, the press loves to tell us how great they were. Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy and many others have been called “great”, but is that reality? Kennedy got away with murder. Jackson possibly child molestation if you believe reports and lawsuits. Jacksn was a great artist and Kennedy, some argue, a great Senator. Do their transgressions take their greatness away?
I have been very unsettled by recent political activities, but not in the way I would expect. While I wholeheartedly approve of the arguing at Town Hall meetings all over the country over Obama’s health package, I am troubled by the sight of guns outside these meetings. I am especially disturbed when these people are outside a building where the President is speaking.
Now, I know that people reading this may say “My right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment and it was not illegal for those people to carry weapons”. What I would say to those people is simple, I agree. The problem is, there is absolutely no good reason to be carrying a semi-automatic weapon strapped to your back at a protest over health reform. None. The Second Amendment and health reform have nothing to do with each other, other than one has lead to several people needing healthcare. The problem, as I see it is simple. It can only lead to violence. People will argue against this, but they arguments have no warrants. “Nobody has been shot. Nobody has pulled a gun on someone. Nobody is breaking any laws. The guns are a show of freedom. They are protection”. Protection from whom, the Secret Service guarding the President? Socialist invasions? If you are threatened, what are your plans, taking that gun and shooting people?
Let’s be honest, these weapons are meant to as a scare tactic, plain and simple. There is nobody to protect yourself from at these meetings. People aren’t being robbed, murdered, raped or otherwise assaulted. If someone is murdered, it is going to be you guys with the guns strapped to your backs and thighs that are the cause.
On a better note, I am excited at the return of one of the greatest to pick up the mic.
Earlier this week, I finally got a full sized fridge for my garage. Yes, man sized beer fridge. That’s my first thought. I filled it with the basics, Corona and Bud Light. Now it is time for the cooler beers. I have started with one of my favorites, Rogue Brewery’s Morimoto Soba Ale. If you have not had it before, give it a try. A great beer from a great brewer. I also added some Murphy’s draught and Bass Pale Ale. Right now I am popping open my Bass ale. I plan on buing a few of these pricier beers a week so I can have some great beer to go with the cheap stuff.
The other day I discovered a great song by an underground rapper named Murs. One of my favorite groups growing up was Digital Underground. You would probably know them by “The Humpty Dance”. Anyway, I share that song with you now. I have downloaded it to my iPod already and have been listening to it a lot. It is entitled “Risky Business” and the video is based on the movie.
