Wearing Sandals to a Brawl

by their footwear shall ye know them.

Conservatism is an approach to life in which one’s security is maintained through dominance. Conservatives fetishize dominance in every form: of parents over children, men over women, whites over non-whites, our nation over other nations, humans over animals, over wilderness, over the earth.

Consider the iconic footwear of the conservative: cowboy boots – otherwise known as “shit kickers”.






Cowboy boots were specifically invented for “giving the spurs”
to horses and for “punching cattle”.

In contrast, Liberalism is an approach to life in which
one’s security is maintained through peaceful coexistence.
Liberals believe in strength through peace, and preach
“conflict resolution”, cooperation, and bipartisanship.

The iconic footwear of the liberal is the sandal.



Relaxation is the raison d'etre of the sandal. Sandals are
designed for inaction, for passivity. We wear them when
we want to “kick back” and be “mellow”.

A conflict between boot-wearers and sandal-wearers is like a conflict between wolves and bunnies – more of a massacre than a fight.



(Note the predator’s narrow set eyes, for focusing on the attack, and the prey’s eyes on the sides of its head, so it can watch the attack arrive. Looking over my shoulder just now, my 11-year-old joked that the bunny looks like a “demi-cat”.)

Republicans today do not acknowledge our nation's duly-elected President. They scream that he’s not even a citizen, much less our President. They’re outraged that he would dare speak to our children in school, although Reagan and Bush-senior both did so. And they don’t even accord him the courtesy due any President, to address Congress without being heckled and hollered at.

Do not mistake this for mere criticism, however harsh, nor outrage, however intense. By their actions, today’s Republicans have broken the most essential covenant of any democracy: the consent of every citizen to be governed in accordance with elections.

Remember Al Gore, after the last appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected, gracefully conceded the Presidency to George Bush. Despite election fraud. And a margin of just 600 votes.

Democrats don’t GET IT. Politically speaking, this is a fight to the death.

And we wore sandals to the brawl.