Who you train with, who you're fighting...
- wemassacre
- Oct 27
- 13 min read
This is the writing exercise to think through something or to wrestle with it. Not everything you wrestle with is an enemy or doesn't involve cooperation but to does require participation.
At first I was going to say invitation, "Welcome everyone!" - Vince McMahon at the beginning of WWF Superstars.
Maybe in a "bring the ass to beat the ass" as was threat of the Uncle Grob of the Austic Harry Potter to my Southern version of Ron Weasley.
The threat was also a long winded, double-backing, style speech to which he'd spin the yarn that, "You gotta bring the ass to beat the ass to get some ass. Now sometimes your ass gets beat, but sometimes you beat some ass. (pause) And sometimes there is a double beat ass situation in which both parties had brought and beat, and may agree to reconvene at a latter day for a re-beat ass exchange."
I grew up standing between my dad's legs below an electric guitar loosing my shid to AC/DC and Kiss songs he played. He played Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, a lot of these bands, especially looking at guys in ACDC, minus Angus, more so Malcolm and Bon Scott, looked like my dad.
I remember discovering Pantera with Harry. It was a different metal to me. The images of Iron Maiden with their mascot, Eddie, the crazy artwork on the cover of a Nazareth record. It felt like high fantasy. On the other side of town I was introduced to Beastie Boys and the NWA.
You had a big influence on us, especially our early records,” Ice Cube said. “I don’t know if you heard a record called ‘My Posse.’ Oh, my God. You’d be like, ‘Those kids are biting us. They’re biting the Beastie Boys.'”
And he discussed how Dr. Dre was inspired by the beats the Beasties made with Rick Rubin on Licensed to Ill, especially “Hold It Now, Hit It.” The vibe on that song, the rapper said, helped give N.W.A the confidence they needed to take on the world.
Beastie Boys weirdly came from my east coast maternal aunt's husband's bootleg tape, to which I also made a bootleg tape of, and NWA from my midwestern, New Mexico dwelling paternal uncle.
My first own money purchases of music were for Weird Al and Michael Jackson, Bad and Even Worse.
In the class this morning, loop chokes were my topic of interest. This improved upon what the professor had instructed in an earlier class.
After-school today one of the students asked me why people immigrate. It was a question from his social studies class.
He was asking for my answer and he had the one the teacher had given him chambered to volley back with.
I said, resources.
He said that he teacher said, or used the slogan, "for a better life."
Better than what?
Why can't we say "better than what"?
The Alaskan side of the land bridge seemed better than what was back in the Siberian wilderness?
What makes it a better life? Was it the hardships of the slaves and the sacrifice of the soliders, sailors, airmen, and marines that make this place with keeping decent?
It looks like shit right now with red caps and rainbow flags littering the landscape. MAGBTQ+ cause it is for suckers, literally and figurately. These seems to be two different masks at the ballroom.
Eyes Wide Shut.
These assholes are all friends. Remember when The Iron Shiek and Hacksaw Jim Duggan were riding together and it breaks kayfabe or you see CM Punk and his rival at ringside before the show grinning?
Two say they have the common people and local society by the short hairs, implies that our wool has already been sheared and we are being funneled, not into a piston or death room, there is no room.
It's THE LONG WALK...THE ROAD...life's walk to survive the endless march to the grave
The term "Bataan Death March walk" can refer to two things: the historical event and a modern-day commemorative march. The historical event was a forced march of thousands of American and Filipino prisoners of war by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942. The modern-day event is an annual marathon, or shorter 15-mile route, held in New Mexico to honor the survivors and victims of the original march.
Historical Event
What it was: A brutal forced march of approximately 72,000 to 78,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war.
Who was involved: Soldiers from the US and the Philippines, taken by the Imperial Japanese Army.
When and where it happened: In 1942, along the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
Not unfamiliar with this course of history to show this is not excusable but sensible generations remember but do not fight or hold hostile:
The Trail of Tears was the forced displacement of approx 60,000 people of the "Five Civilized Tribes" between 1830 and 1850, and the additional thousands of Native Americans and their black slaves] within that were ethnically cleansed by the United States government.
Juneteenth did mark June 19, 1865, when Union troops announced the emancipation of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, but the Choctaw Nation's formal end to slavery occurred later in 1866 after signing a treaty with the U.S. government. The Choctaw treaty also granted rights, including citizenship, to the formerly enslaved people they held in bondage, although many tribal nations, including the Choctaw, have had ongoing issues with recognizing these "Freedmen" descendants.
They were grafted in, made the same as the tribe. Prior to the Choctaws and other tribes like to breed with Europeans (black and white) it was important to them. They also enslaved, like our earliest ancestors.
On Grafting in from a letter Paul wrote to the Romans for an analogy:
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[b] of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
The Mystery of Israel's Salvation
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:[c] a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now[d] receive mercy.
Just like our quote from King James from the book of Hosea regarding The Lord appreciating mercy to sacrifice.
Curtin, P. (1969). The Atlantic slave trade: a census. University of Wisconsin Press.
Law, R. (2008). The impact of the Atlantic slave trade upon Africa. Centre for African Studies Basel.
Sourced the Atlantic Slave Trade, different from other slave trades in history, including where the word slave comes from about 12 to 18 million with 1 to 2 million dying in passage.
The exact number of people killed by Genghis Khan is unknown, but estimates of the total death toll from the Mongol conquests range from 20 to 60 million people, although these figures are often criticized for lacking reliable sources. The violence associated with his campaigns, which included battles, sieges, and massacres, caused widespread destruction and resulted in a massive, albeit debated, loss of life.
Estimates suggest that the Pol Pot regime, led by the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979, was responsible for the deaths of 1.5 to 2 million Cambodians, though some estimates range as high as 3 million. During this period, the regime's brutal social engineering project to create an agrarian utopia led to the deaths of roughly a quarter of Cambodia's population.
Let's not forget about the other boy in the band; Determining the total number of deaths caused by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party during his rule is extremely difficult, and historical estimates vary widely, ranging from 15 million to as high as 80 million people. The discrepancy is due to the Chinese government's lack of transparency and the difficulty of gathering reliable demographic data from the period.
The vast majority of deaths occurred during two major campaigns: the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, as well as through various purges and political persecutions.
Now let us also forget the folks that fought these assholes when the time came to do something.
Think of the type of people needed to fuck these assholes up.
Not the "yeah but this one of a kind individual is able to..."
We need a platoon. We need an Army. We need the right people for the job. That isn't to say we don't have a job or purpose for everyone but when the requirement is to drag a 50lbs hose 300ft we need someone who doesn't need a waiver when they are doing the training, because how you train is how you will fight.
"Everyone gets tired!" An Oklahoman black belt coaching me when I am gassed with 3 minutes left and I'm stuck under someone's weight.
On Sunday, a Pastor sourced me specifically regarding the Jewish prayerrecited by men each morning is the blessing shelo asani isha ("who did not make me a woman"). This prayer is part of a series of blessings, Birkot HaShachar, that thank God for the daily renewal of various physical and spiritual faculties.
Some folks get heated about this and use it as their offense card to dismiss the practice entirely.
The blessing shelo asani isha
The full prayer recited by traditional Jewish men is:
Hebrew: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלּא עָשַׂנִי אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, shelo asani isha.
English: "Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has not made me a woman"
Context and interpretations
This blessing is often misunderstood and has led to controversy, with critics perceiving it as misogynistic. However, a range of traditional and modern interpretations exist:
Gratitude for greater religious obligations: According to the Talmud, the core reason for the blessing is that men are obligated to perform more mitzvot (religious commandments) than women. By reciting this blessing, a man thanks God for the privilege and spiritual responsibility of having these additional commandments.
Recognition of male privilege: More contemporary perspectives, including some from within Modern Orthodoxy, view the prayer as a way for men to acknowledge their privilege. The prayer can serve as a reminder that men have historically held a more advantageous position in society, prompting them to work toward equality.
Respect for different roles: Another view suggests the blessing does not diminish the role of women, but rather expresses appreciation for the distinct roles and strengths of the two genders. In this interpretation, men and women have different, but equally important, paths to serving God.
Women's corresponding prayer
The morning blessings also include a prayer for women. Instead of the male prayer, women recite one of the following:
She'asani kirtzono ("who has made me according to His will"): This is the traditional blessing women recite. Some interpret this as an expression of resignation, accepting God's decree, while others see it as a beautiful affirmation of their unique creation, made exactly as God intended.
She'asani isha ("who has made me a woman"): In some modern prayer books, women instead say a positive affirmation of their own gender, replacing the traditional male blessing.
Omission: Some Jewish women, particularly in the Chabad movement, do not recite the blessing, as it was not included in the original Talmudic text.
If you praise an imaginary god because you are happy to be a man then you receive a full-blown discourse as to what you must mean versus you having an appreciation and satisfaction with being Jewish regardless of the ups and down in life.
You'll be forced into at least needing to maintain a smile and good attitude as others attempt to take you down a few pegs because their life sucks and they are usually pissed about something and because you are interested or don't believe it they think that you hate them.
I have no problem with JWs or any other letter based denomination for any other religious or secular organization as far as hate goes.
If I don't sign a petition that doesn't mean I don't like you, maybe I prefer the Illegal Exchange and the relationship with the local Robin Hood, maybe I don't.
If you want the government less involved then it is nobodies business who you marry as long as kids aren't involved. It is no bodies business. You have a business that isn't producing. If you didn't know going in or ended up with a medical condition but for the most part this is more about keeping track of kids and less to do with the government needing to know what your preferences are or acknowledging your status.
Be proud of who you are. Sometimes you will make jokes that are too harsh and need to reel them back and this should not destroy people's lives.
But we need the Peanut Gallery now. Everything requires someone standing by to say, "hey, we appreciate you asking people not to steal."
But when you were 17 your stole a dictionary.
This enters an interesting space under a considerably grey sky.
Because if a criminal does a TedTalk to ask when he stops being a felon and demonstrate financial success in a Fortune 500 company, post incarceration.
When does he stop being a criminal?
But after the TedTalk what happens when Victor Salva asks that question?
It is super easy for the MVP to dismiss this by saying something like,
"Man, if I have to explain this to you then you're a fucking idiot."
So if I cop to being an idiot will you produce a cogent answer or will what you have to say make you look like the fucking idiot.
You can also offer to punch out the person, as if might makes right.
To not want to compare crimes. That if sins were links in a chain holding you over a pit it only takes one broken law to send you into your doom.
Is Francis Ford Coppola a piece of shit or is he trying to help a dude with severe issues, like how you don't put down people who are physically disrupted. Like a pit-bull or chimp rehab. Does he not get to do his job as a filmmaker because the position is glorified?
How should he eat? Or pay the fines....he should have thought about that before....
It is super easy to give a flippant response that suggests putting someone to death or letting them starve with no job.
Once the person is [cancelled] or [convicted] is this to say because they are evil or did something evil they can't do what they are good at?
Why do you sound like a fucking idiot when you suggest that you don't punish the breed but the deed when it comes to Xenomorphs. They can't help that David breeded them to be high-caliber. Maybe you just need to be able to have experience wrangling aliens and then you can own as many as you want.
It is a passive move to dismiss them and it is passive to give a pass to everyone no matter what.
How do you know?
How can you tell who is who?
A good disguise or camouflage is used for what purpose?
A code or kayfabe to keep.
The smirk or wink of Cruella when she has been repackaged and you saw her when she was beautiful and more trustworthy looking:
JFK: The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it.
Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions.
Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment.
That I do not intend to permit to the extent that it is in my control. And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know.
But I do ask every publisher, every editor, and every newsman in the nation to reexamine his own standards, and to recognize the nature of our country's peril. In time of war, the government and the press have customarily joined in an effort based largely on self-discipline, to prevent unauthorized disclosures to the enemy. In time of "clear and present danger," the courts have held that even the privileged rights of the First Amendment must yield to the public's need for national security.
Today no war has been declared--and however fierce the struggle may be, it may never be declared in the traditional fashion. Our way of life is under attack. Those who make themselves our enemy are advancing around the globe. The survival of our friends is in danger. And yet no war has been declared, no borders have been crossed by marching troops, no missiles have been fired.
If the press is awaiting a declaration of war before it imposes the self-discipline of combat conditions, then I can only say that no war ever posed a greater threat to our security. If you are awaiting a finding of "clear and present danger," then I can only say that the danger has never been more clear and its presence has never been more imminent.
If one group wants to censor the natural way and one group wants to censor the way that leads to the ditch, you can see by which group produces those who produce more life and freedom, often by stepping up, and those who enjoy freedom and often step up to receive but never to give first.
If this is all there is and we have to keep it going then we don't have time to worry what color our blouse is. We need to be getting to work on space and the sea and getting the best candidates out there. Who is the best candidates? Jesse Owens was best in the Olympics were the Aryans took on the world. We sent our best guy. We didn't hold him back and send a white dude, we sent the best American.
:Immediately triggers an incoming slew of Nationalism comparisons for being stoked to be American.
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