SLINGING

I once loved slinging the mud just as much as the next guy.  Lord knows that today we have enough ammunition to be slinging 24/7.  From religion to Hollywood to elections to politicians there is an endless supply of trash talk that can fill the airwaves with unworthy news, innuendo, gossip, and outright lies.  Even the sailor in me who many years ago drank too much beer with the rowdies in the local Navy hangout blushes like an innocent schoolgirl at some of what these ears hear today.

But, know what?  Sling mud and you’re going to get muddy.  Or to put it in terms an old salt would appreciate, “Sling shit and you will get shitty.”  Slinging becomes an acceptable way to communicate, a vocalization of the anger and disgust residing within the cranium and slinging is infectious.  Have you ever noticed that when you share the first cuss word in a conversation, the other person also takes more freedom with cussing.  When you talk trash about another person, those around you feel free to throw their trash into that conversation also.  It’s a socially transmissible dis-order.  I fear that our society has been infected with a terminal case of slinging.

This is on my mind because Trump will be in Orlando, one of my favorite cities.  I know the trash talk, the bullshit, the lies will flow freely in that arena.  Middle fingers will be pointed at journalists, insults will be leveled, lies will be told, and Trump will smile victoriously from the podium because he knows he has stirred up yet another crowd of supporters into hysteria.  Lord knows he doesn’t know how to run a country or keep us safe or play with other children nicely, or speak truth.  The only thing he can do effectively is stir the shit pot.  Aw hell, here I go again slinging.  I truly want to give it up.  Help!

My grandpa always said, “If you can’t talk nicely, then just keep your damned mouth shut.”  I sure wish he was still with us.  We could go to Orlando and spread some nice conversation.  Well, maybe not.  Grandpa also said, “Don’t try to reason with holier-than-thou Christians, the IRS, and Republicans.  They have hearing problems.”

Grandpa was a wise man.