The Patriot Game All Over Again

The Bundys strike again! Lead by their brilliant and charismatic leader, Al Bundy (you remember him don't you?), armed ranchers have seized control of a small government office. They demand that the federal government create a state of total anarchy in which the man with the most money and the most guns can do whatever the hell he wants and the rest of us are forced to obey. Sounds great, doesn't it?

Well, it does if you're wealthy and have a lot of guns.

To put this in context, let's take a look at some recent news. If you're an unarmed group of black people angrily, but peacefully, protesting against police brutality, you are vicious, dangerous thugs who must be met with massive police force which includes military equipment. However, if you are a well armed group of white ranchers who have stated their intention to kill anyone who dares to stand up to them (including the police and US military personnel), your case is stamped "Fragile: Handle With Care!"

Or to make another comparison, if you're a 12-year-old little boy playing with a toy gun and you happen to be Black, the instant response is "Shoot on sight! Shoot to kill!" On the other hand, if you are a fatigue and mask wearing group of open carry militiamen marching around a mosque to threaten families at worship, the response is, "Have a nice day sir."

It needs to be said again, so I'll say it. Pointing out actual, existing racism is not playing the race card. It's telling the truth. Refusing to face the truth and accusing anyone who does so of playing the race card is playing the stupidity card.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch… Remember all those great old Clint Eastwood westerns? You know, the ones where he faced the wealthy, well armed ranchers and shot them all down? I genuinely do prefer nonviolent solutions, but it seems odd to me that the extremists who most idolize Clint Eastwood are the very people that Eastwood spent his movie career killing.