Fools

War memorial in Gembloux, Belgium
(Source)

One hundred years ago the First World War in Europe was still raging. Though men on both sides were starting to look at ending the war, thousands more would die before the guns finally fell silent at 11 o'clock in the morning on the 11th of November, 1918, a Monday.

In the time between the start of the war in July of 1914, until its end in November of 1918, nearly 39,000,000 human beings were dead or badly injured. Nearly eight million of those thirty-nine million were civilians.

Mostly because the leaders of five great powers failed miserably. Russia, Austro-Hungary, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom were all (with the exception of France) led by monarchs, assisted by civilian politicians, and advised by the military leadership of their respective armed forces.

The assassination of the Austrian heir to the throne in Sarajevo started a chain of events which the top military leaders all advised their leaders couldn't be stopped once set in motion.

Austria-Hungary issued an almost impossible to meet set of demands on Serbia (which was suspected to be behind the murders of the Archduke Ferdinand, that Austrian heir, and his wife). Once the time limit on their ultimatum to the Serbs expired, Austria-Hungary declared war. They did so having been assured by the Germans that they would be supported should Russia back the Serbs. Which they did.

In short order Austria-Hungary, Serbia, Russia, Germany, and then France (which was allied with Russia) were at war. When German armies crossed into Belgium on their way to France, the United Kingdom entered the war.

Throughout Western Europe there are monuments to the dead of World War I, as can be seen in the photo above, additions were made to many of those monuments to commemorate the dead of World War II, a war which was, again, the result of failures by the leaders in Western Europe to really end World War I. Rather they sought to punish Germany for her aggression which only led to resentment. It also led to the rise of an obscure Austrian former corporal named Adolf Hitler and all that followed.

My ancestors left Europe to get away from monarchs and nearly unceasing warfare. No doubt many of yours did as well. Now we have people advocating for violence here in the United States due to a failure by many to understand the system which we live in, for which many Americans died to maintain, and which over 200 years ago many men dedicated their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish.

We live in a constitutional republic, not a democracy. Democracy is mob rule, the Founders knew what they were doing when they gave us this system of government. Yes, some of those men were flawed, but show me a human who is not.

I saw a photo on Facebook recently of an old friend of mine, and his daughter, standing in front of the White House. He is wearing a t-shirt which says "Resist," clenched fist raised in the air. She has the middle fingers of both hands extended towards the camera, but obviously intended for the man who currently resides in the White House and is the duly elected President of the United States.

I was appalled, even more so when his wife, her mother, had a comment indicating the pride she felt in her family. Pride? For what? Being politically naive? Being fundamentally stupid as regards the way our system works?

Resist. I occasionally see that bumper sticker here in Little Rhody. Usually (I kid you not) affixed to a Prius being driven by a couple of middle aged hippies who, no doubt, work for the state, the city, or perhaps they are tenured professors at that famous leftist university in Providence, which used to be an excellent school.

What is it exactly that these fools are resisting? Freedom? The right to a political opinion different than theirs?

I despise them and their ilk.

Do you think we of a more conservative bent enjoyed living through the farce of the last administration? Nope, didn't. But hey, he won fair and square. We dealt with it, eventually he and his party were shown the door. It happens, sometimes we get leaders we didn't choose, but we don't start wars over it. No, we go to the polls when it's time and make our voices heard.

Resist?

Fools, all of 'em.