Posted on 07/30/2013 4:09:25 PM PDT by LD Jackson
To say that political discourse in our country has reached toxic levels would do disservice to our politicians and pundits. Nothing anymore is sacred inside the arena of politics. Politicians, wishing to observe some degree of decorum, rely on attack dogs to do their heavy lifting. The Left is certainly fond of this tactic using such personalities such as David Letterman, John Stewart, Bill Maher and Chris Mathews. With the powerful influence of the liberal media, Liberals will say anything necessary to discredit or destroy a foe. Consequently, today’s politics is blood sport.
Political opinion, even strong political opinion, is not new in America. It is as practice as long and storied as Republic. What has been amiss over the past 160 years or more, however, are consequences.
Dueling was once an important fixture in American society. Men resorted to the practice when their honor came into question. If a man was insulted, especially in the public square, the offender was quickly challenged to a duel. If the offender refused the challenge, he was branded as a coward and his reputation was worthless. The reasoning was if a man wasn’t brave enough to defend his word, then neither was he worthy to enjoy the right to speak. Dueling guaranteed a remarkable system of civility. A term we hear so much about today.
Before the Civil War, during which time dueling was popular, men were entitled to their opinions just as they are today. One could freely criticize, use slander, or even outright insult another just so long as he was willing to face the consequences. The consequence usually meant one had to not only back up his words with action, but must be willing to gamble his life for the right to do so. Thus dueling offered the perfect control for reckless mouths and smart-alecky opinions. One would be less inclined to shoot his mouth off if he knew certain death was a real possibility.
The system of dueling was surprisingly civilized. If the offender offered no apology to the offended, both men met and agreed upon the weapons of choice. Normally, they chose smooth bore pistols and decided the pace at which revenge or vindication would be meted out. At any point during the duel, an apology could be given and the matter was brought to rest. If not, someone had to go.
The most famous example of dueling is Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, in which Burr killed Hamilton. Still there are many other notable men who practiced dueling. Button Gwinnet, who had signed the Declaration of Independence, was shot down by General Lachlan McIntosh in a duel. And Abraham Lincoln avoided a similar fate by apologizing to an Illinois state official he had ridiculed in a local state newspaper.
What lessons can we learn from this today? None really, but a guy is still allowed to dream ain’t he? So imagine a world where instead of Chris Matthews getting a tingle up his leg every time Obama reads a scripted message from his teleprompter, he feels a warm, wet liquid run down them both at the thought of having to face a conservative whose honor he called into question.
What if we lived in a world where Todd Palin could challenge Bill Maher or David Letterman for disrespecting his wife and daughters? If they declined, which they certainly would, or apologize, which they certainly would not, their credibility would be shot (no pun intended) and their careers destroyed.
It seems pretty obvious there would be a lot less disrespecting and reckless punditry going on. Heck, we may even actually have civility again.
Ah, I can see some good things here.
Jesse Jackson vs Al Sharpton.
Barack Dorkbama vs Hillary Clinton
Harry Reid vs Hancy Bitchosi
Baba Boxthing vs Diane Snarkstein
No way we can have a bad outcome no matter the winner.
And as a bonus, the country’s IQ goes up also.
One might think ... but maybe they thought death wasn't certain for them ... or didn't fear it that much.
A shame- or honor-based society might not have been so calculating and timid as the writer suggests.
A lot fewer innocent bystanders getting shot in Chicago too.
Ok but make it swords and daggers instead of firearms.
Jim Bowie
The sandbar duel. Knife VS sword
And then there was that little thing between Andrew Jackson and Charles Dickinson, and a few others.
An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.
Robert A. Heinlein
Submitted to the justice of God by wager of battle.... I like it.
Indoctrinating the Indoctrinators
28 November 2009
Filed under Education, Feckless Weasels, Moonbats & Other Animals, Opinion.
Teaching plan: America ‘an oppressive hellhole’
University outlines ‘re-education’ for those who hold ‘wrong’ views
A program proposed at the University of Minnesota would result in required examinations of teacher candidates on “white privilege” as well as “remedial re-education” for those who hold the “wrong” views, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
And what exactly are the “wrong views”?
“The university’s general counsel should be asked to comment as soon as possible,” said the letter from Adam Kissel, an officer with The FIRE. “If the Race, Culture, Class, and Gender Task Group achieves its stated goals, the result will be political and ideological screening of applicants, remedial re-education for those with the ‘wrong’ views and values, [and] withholding of degrees from those upon whom the university’s political reeducation efforts proved ineffective.”
Don’t the Chinese have “reeducation” camps? Anyone remember “The Killing Fields“? Obviously, I’m not suggesting that such a scenario could ever happen in the USA……………..yet.
http://olbroad.com/2009/11/28/indoctrinating-the-indoctrinators/
None of the current crop of pols have the courage or integrity to engage in a duel. They are cowards to their core if they were faced with a serious threat to their mortality.
I know of a very famous tree in New Orlean’s Central Park,
that is called the dueling tree.
I also know a phrase, known to those who know what
steel is for: “In Ferro Veritas”.
For dueling pistols, a little twist:
Snubnose revolvers of .38 Special caliber,
double action only, at 30 feet.
For swords, let’s up the ante:
Katanas, or ... Kukris!
Either way something’s coming off!
Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.
Robert A. Heinlein
Kind of puts the pressure on the Big Guy-—IF it would matter.
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