Lessons Learned from Arrogance

Here's a new feature on the Jolly Rogers - a new voice. An old friend of mine- the Best Man at my wedding; a very distinguished former serviceman and a great guy, Tom Macon has agreed to let me post some of his writings. Every time you see the Macon byline and the Macon logo above, you know you're getting something with the true voice of experience. I have always been proud to know Tom and his wife Joyce. They are like my New Mexico parents.

This is the first of hopefully many articles by Tom...

Lessons Learned from Arrogance
By Tom Macon

It seems to this humble citizen that our elected officials have become elitist.

The Harry Reids, Nancy Pelosis, Senator Dodds, etc. all seem to feel they are entitled to their own private jets at the taxpayer’s expense. The need for speed and convenience are necessary tools of the trade; however, as for average citizens, we the people, could never envision this need on such a grand scale.

This comes at a time when unemployment is reaching 10 percent and climbing. Hell, the average American is worried about his job loss, and with it, his home, car, and child’s educational future.

All of this comes with a smug look of “We’re entitled.”

In looking back in history, it brings to mind other elitists. El Duce, commonly known as Mussolini, was arrogant to the core. His ending was rather abrupt. Murdered by the very peoples he led, he was left hanging from a streetlight, very dead.

It brings to mind Adolph Hitler, hiding like a cornered rat, in an underground bunker in Berlin, placing a pistol to his head.

I wonder how elite he felt at that moment.

There’s something about rats that elitists seem to clone. Saddam Hussein comes to mind. When captured in an underground cave he looked completely defeated. His countenance certainly was one of despair when he was hanged in the prison he built for the people. These same people were hurling insults in his ears as he was pushed off the cement platform he had built for others.

The rope was special - it took up most of his head and could have been used to moor the Queen Elizabeth - very efficient as his death pictures show. His head was canted at a 90 degree angle to the right. Oh well, it was the undertaker's problem.

At the other end of the spectrum we have Martin Luther King and Gandhi.

Ghandi had the distinction of defeating the British Army without firing a shot. He did it with a humble compassion and a nonviolent approach; this seems unthinkable in today's world. Perhaps he knew something about the human psyche, that man, when given the choice between freedom and tyranny, is willing to die for freedom.

Think it over.