When I die

[Mythsaje]

I would hope that my friends outnumber my enemies. That someone here remembers me and says "Damn, I loved his writing."

But I virtually guarantee that there will be some who will come up with something to bash me for. "But he smoked, he drank, he ate meat. He did so many things that weren't healthy. He was asking for it."

Even if I was run over by a bus.

"If not for the weight of that hamburger, and the fact that he was trying to light a cigarette at the time, he would've SEEN that bus coming and got the hell out of the way."

Or maybe I was stoned. Not likely, but hey, anything's possible.

I'd hope that everyone would rush out to buy my books. They may not illuminate the issues of the day, but hey, at least they're entertaining. And original. I can't think of a single reader who's put down one of my novels and said "It reminds me too much of _______."

Never happen.

Of course, I'm not a celebrity. But I'm pretty well known in certain circles. Someday, perhaps, I'll be a minor celebrity, and be afforded the jealousy and vitriol that celebrity always seems to garner.

I can live with that, I suppose. It's part of the price you pay.

I do know one thing though. Until they come to drag me kicking and screaming into their re-education camps, I will remain a loud, proud liberal. I will fight for human rights, and free speech, and speaking truth to power. I will fight for the poor and downtrodden, and against those who would harm us all just for their own glorification.

That's a legacy I can feel good about leaving behind. Some conservatives already hate me--those who know who I am.

What's that old saying? "Judge not a man by his friends, but by his enemies."

Since I wrote to O'Reilly and demanded to be put on his enemies list, I suppose I might be judged for that.

:evilgrin:

[dweller]

1. i'm not worried about dying

i suppose it's just the other side of a coin that i hope i've wisely spent
a complement rather than an opposite, similar to the daylight and darkness
of any given day

and if i were a betting man i'd place it all
body and soul on a high, equal-flipping arc
into eternity

with 50/50 odds

peace
dp

[marions ghost]

2. there is a mindset

that likes to judge and blame and find fault with others.

When transgressions are great, this characteristic is at least appropriate. When transgressions are not great, or debatable, this trait is mean and self-serving. It's an ugly witch-hunting mentality when carried to extremes. May those who constantly judge harshly and set themselves above others --be harshly judged.

On the other hand there are the pushovers who refuse to take the responsibility of making a negative judgment, even when appropriate. They allow themselves to be abused and have a hard time knowing when to fight. This mentality has put Liberals behind the 8-ball politically, because we have been too compliant with the ruthless exploitators in our midst. Liberals want to build trust and cooperate, because we know it creates a healthier society. But that fails when the bully has the upper hand. A bully can never be trusted.

This is a hard balance to strike. When offenses are small, live and let live. When offenses are large, it may be necessary to judge, and fight.