WUSS FACTOR IN FAILED (AMERICAN) LEADERSHIP —9/11 DEBACLE AND DISASTROUS AFTERMATH

YA-O-O-O-W-L!

WUSS FACTOR IN FAILED (AMERICAN) LEADERSHIP
—9/11 DEBACLE AND DISASTROUS AFTERMATH

In leaders of nations, as well as families, honesty, fairness, wisdom, forthright brave, correct thinking is to be hoped for as plans are laid, decisions made, action commenced. Insofar as leaders are insecure, fearful, incompetent (the latter a factor in uncertainty and fear), in varying degrees plans, decisions, and actions fall short of ideal.

The topic of this Yowl is grievous outcome when those in positions of highest leadership—president and leadership of the United States—fall short in wisdom, honesty, particularly courage and bravery. 9/11 and its aftermath are the focus. The point made is that incompetence coupled with “wuss” is a formula for disaster in times of crisis.

It may be noted that courage and bravery is never mere reaction, however bold, bad-ass, admirable reaction may be or appear to be. Mere reaction—instinctive fight/flight—is the mode of beasts, not brave, courageous behavior.* Bravery and courage occurs only when there is awareness of danger, threat, one’s fear, and that fear is suppressed.

What transpires when fear cannot be overcome, when one lacks courage, bravery, and competence, when, in sum, one is a bumbling wuss, is explored in this Yowl.

When the leader and leadership group of the modern Free World are bumbling wusses, consequences are dire.

Hang with The Yowling Wolf! Continue reading →

SNIPER (American or otherwise) = COWARD

Leave a reply

YA-O-O-WL!

SNIPER (American or otherwise) = COWARD!

The Yowling Wolf has yet to view the hugely successful (revenue wise) and in some circles acclaimed Clint Eastwood-directed movie, American Sniper. And The Wolf won’t—not in an expensive movie theatre. (With yahoo Tea-Party types whooping at every “rag head” blown to bits from a quarter mile distant?)

The Wolf will eventually watch the movie—on cable. However, no need to watch to know that descriptions such as “hero” are ridiculous, far-fetched, Americans-seeking-redemption-after-yet-another-foolish-lost-war, wishful thinking.

Not that a sniper is not a necessary, even valuable component of a fighting force. Not that a sniper cannot be commended for a (deadly, cowardly-but-necessary) job well done. Not that a sniper should not be respected as a member of our American military forces, a soldier, one who serves his (or her) country, etc.

However, HERO WRIT LARGE?, as in “HERO!,” as in SOMEONE TO BE ADMIRED in a ROLE TO BE ASPIRED TO BY YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS?, apart from, yes, perhaps performing the occasional heroic service in the sense of saving a life, averting a disaster, killing one who deserved to die and who might otherwise not have? …

NO EFFING WAY! … NO HOW, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE!

At best a sniper performs a cowardly, if necessary act. The role itself contradicts the very idea of “hero.” TO DEEM A SNIPER A HERO IS TO DEMEAN “HERO.” It demeans all who perform (truly) brave, self-sacrificing, noble acts.

The behavior of a sniper—covert, at a distance, scant risk to self—is diametrically at odds with the forthright bravery of a hero.

WISE UP, AMERICA!

Hang with The Wolf! Continue reading →

ALPHA AMERICAN WOMENHOOD—A PROBLEMATIC MISS SCARLETT ASPECT

Leave a reply

YA-O-O-O-W-L!
ALPHA AMERICAN WOMENHOOD—A PROBLEMATIC MISS SCARLETT ASPECT

“Check your privilege” is a phrase afoot today on some college campuses. It is directed at white males in particular. It is used to remind such men that they likely benefited from favorable experiences, perceptions, assumptions, presumptions growing up, which they are not fully cognizant of, and to which they have not given proper consideration. Moreover, they continue to benefit from same. It is meant to check and cow such (privileged) persons, lest they, in speech or action, suggest that others, less advantaged, are not only inferior, but at fault for this inferiority.

Recent psychological studies support this premise.*

This Yowl suggests that “check your privilege” might also be directed at an alpha class of American women—specifically Caucasian, well educated, professional-type, below the age of fifty, and, typically, not unattractive. Such women tend to exercise (fiercely), they are ambitious, they are all about self advancement and “leaning in.”** They are privileged and self assured. They are destined to be American leaders and influence arbiters.

Not that women should not be ambitious and take advantage of all opportunities. The Yowling Wolf is a feminist who wholeheartedly believes in advancement of women. His two grown, achieving daughters are proof.

However, attitude, belief, outlook count for much. This is particularly so when attitude, belief, and outlook is reflected in American leadership, and is problematic.

The Wolf has discerned a curious attitude/belief/outlook on the part of some, if not many, possibly even most of the women in question. It bespeaks an unrealistic, arrogant, even fantastic sense of entitlement. Ominously, it is redolent of an American brand of female entitlement, arrogance, imperiousness, and surreal behavior, evident in a particularly dark, unsavory chapter of the American past.

It is The Yowling Wolf’s view that unnoted, unexamined, unchecked, given the power and influence such women will wield, this attitude/belief/outlook has possible negative implications for American relations abroad and race relations at home. (History shows that the two are not unrelated.)

Manifestly, imperious arrogance and fantasy in domestic and foreign policy and planning cannot be a positive.

As is said, “from small acorns do large oak trees grow.”

The attitude/belief/outlook detected, examined, brought to light in this Yowl may be termed and characterized as a “Miss Scarlett” aspect. The contention is that a Miss Scarlett aspect is alive and well in an influential group of American women, and this augurs problematic going forward.

Hang with The Wolf! Continue reading →

THE MICHAEL BROWN—BILL COSBY CONNECTION

Leave a reply

THE MICHAEL BROWN—BILL COSBY CONNECTION

Published December 9, 2014 | By YW | Edit

YA-O-O-O-W-L!!

THE MICHAEL BROWN—BILL COSBY CONNECTION

Michael Brown of Ferguson, Missouri, Eric Garner of NYC, the 12 year old (Black) boy waving a replica pistol shot dead on a playground by a white cop, the young (Black) father of two in a Wal Mart holding and looking at a toy gun to possibly purchase shot dead by white cops (summoned by a white patron), the newly released Justice Department finding that Cleveland cops routinely use too much force [Duh-h!], …

The sad unraveling of yet another Black man, a national icon, America’s “favorite dad”—William Henry “Bill” Cosby, Jr., a/k/a “The Cos.” (White America [and other colors] must be thinking, “Damn! If we can’t trust Bill Cosby, ….”)

A lot to Yowl about.

Is there a connection between 77 year old Bill Cosby and 18 year old Michael Brown?

Hang with The Yowling Wolf! Continue reading →

IS THE “FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT” REALLY BLACK?

Leave a reply

Y-A-O-O-O-W-L!!

IS THE “FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT” REALLY BLACK?

Answer: By and large in color only, which is how/why he got elected. Hang with The Yowling Wolf.

First, context. The Yowling Wolf voted for Barack Obama—twice. The Wolf went door-to-door for Barack Obama in suburban (white) neighborhoods having to explain that anti-white pastor thing.

The Yowling Wolf was thrilled at Barack Obama’s election. Wolf recalls having breakfast at the Philly airport Sheraton the week after the victory. No other black folk were sitting at tables. Black folk were doing the serving. However, they had a noticeable bounce in their step.

Persons of color can thank Barack Obama for that lift. Yessir! In yo face, Whitey!

Let’s get down to brass tacks. Continue reading →

OF WHUPPING, FATHERS, THE LESSON OF THE BULLS

1 Reply

YA-O-O-O-W-L!

OF WHUPPING, FATHERS, THE LESSON OF THE BULLS

WHUPPING
This yowl ain’t really about whupping. That’s another subject for another time. It’s about fatherhood, more particularly lack thereof and its effect on male youth, in particular urban black youth.

The latter—urban black youth—is, of course, a BIG topic. The Wolf ain’t gonna try to address this topic in one go. Rather, we’ll come at it piecemeal.

Yowling Wolf, BTW, is a big believer in piecemeal—coming at big things in smaller, manageable chunks and bits. Yowling Wolf believes that is how BIG problems can most effectively be tackled.

Whupping has been in the news in the person of yet another well-meaning black father pilloried and brought low by a righteous, presumably well-meaning (white) American press. So Wolf will yowl just a bit about whupping and corporal punishment.

Adrian Peterson, all-star NFL Minnesota Vikings running back, from every appearance a friendly, likeable fellow, in his own words “whupped” his four-year-old son by an out-of-wedlock mother, same as his prison inmate daddy regularly whupped him as a boy in Texas, to the point of bloody laceration with a “tree branch.”

The Wolf by no means condones small children, or any child, man, woman, or beast being struck to the point that blood is drawn, or even bruises or welts result. The Wolf has had such visited upon him, both as child and adult. Generally, not a good thing. However, as in most matters, there are exceptions.

(E.g., having a fist fight with another, unbeknownst to most, is a very intimate experience. Unless a total beat down, combatants emerge with much mutual respect. As kids you often become friends.!!)

By the same token, Yowling Wolf also finds fault with a white, liberal, American mantra of thou-shalt-never-lay-hand-(or any implement, including tree branches)-on-any-child-in-any-way-for-any-reason. And OMG!, heaven help you if you do, especially if you are …non-white. You are the lowest of the low. (An animal?) You shall be punished.

Yowling Wolf notes that this abhorrence of violence apparently does not extend to innocent victims of drone strikes (virtually all of them people of color), orchestrated by anonymous “pilots”—”soldiers!,” “warriors!”—sitting at desks watching computer screens many thousands of miles away (who then drive home for dinner with their families). (Authorized, yes, by a Nobel Peace Prize-winning, Black [African] American president who is regularly castigated for being too soft on America’s enemies. Yeah, things get complicated.)

Apparently violence is sometimes justified, even to the point of killing innocents. Continue reading →

“SPREAD AMERICAN DEMOCRACY ABROAD” FOOLISHNESS

Leave a reply

YA-O-O-O-W-L! …

(American exceptionalism and misguided [W.] Bush, Obama-aided foreign policy)

DEMOCRACY IS?
A combination of two Greek words—demos (common people, people, the masses), and kratia (rule). Thus, rule by people. More specifically, rule by the common people or masses.

A DEMOCRACY PRIMER
At even a tribal level it is rare that all persons will be allowed to vote. Rather, the demos (voting group) will be all adult males, all adults, or a variation, depending upon who or what is being voted on. Always there are age restrictions. Women are sometimes excluded altogether. Excepting in a family vote, and even then rarely, the demos is never everyone.

The Greek city state of Athens, hailed as the “cradle of democracy,” and later Rome, also a model for modern democracy, never for an instant conceived of all people, the complete masses voting. Women could not vote, nor children. Nor slaves, who vastly outnumbered Roman citizens. Ownership of property was often a voting prerequisite.

The ideal has always been that a thoughtful, informed, deserving demos make up the voting block. Which makes sense.

It did not occur to the Founding Fathers of the new nation of America, extolled to this day for their wisdom and foresight, to allow all adults to vote at the national level. Women were disenfranchised. So were non-property owning adult white males. Notoriously enshrined in the American Constitution, property-owning male African-American freemen were accorded but 2/3rds the vote of white males. Continue reading →