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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDead Rats
"Dead cats, dead rats
Can't you see what they were at, all right
Dead cat in a top hat, wow
Sucking on a young man's blood
Wishing he could come, yeah
Sucking on the soldier's brain
Wishing it would be the same
Dead cat, dead rat
Did you see what they were at?
Fat cat in a top hat
Thinks he's an aristocrat
Thinks he can kill and slaughter
Thinks he can shoot my daughter
Yeah right! Oh yeah!
Oh right! Yeah!
Dead cats, dead rats
Think you're an aristocrat
Crap, that's crap!"
-- Jim Morrison
Many years ago, my father told my oldest brother and I that he had seen a rat in the basement. The three of us went downstairs to try to remove it. When we had it trapped in a corner, the rat attacked my father, who said, "Ki-yi-yi!" and kicked it into the air. My brother hit it mid-air with a shovel, as in our family, you had to both box and play baseball. For Dad's father played against the NY Yankees, and Grandpa's brother was a professional boxer.
My brother's favorite group was The Doors. He died three years ago today, after a long and brutal struggle with the brain injuries he sustained in a long career of amateur and professional boxing. For much of his life, he had not been a registered voter. That was until 2016, when he registered to vote for Ms. Clinton, and against the rat that he recognized as a threat to our country. Up until his dying day, he despised that rat. Even with head injuries, he had a great sense of humor, and made sick jokes about the defendant that would make most people feel a tinge of guilt for laughing at.
But I'm not here to talk about my brother. I want to focus on the nature of a trapped rat. So I'd appreciate it if you don't ask me about my training him for his last fight, where he upset an undefeated fellow who ended up a contender in two divisions. This is DU:GD, after all, not the sports forum. Instead, let's talk about this:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3
Earlier in the week, I found it strange that the defendant's legal representatives would ask the judge if the defendant could deliver a closing argument. Only a guilty-as-sin rat would ask to speak without the risk of cross-examination before being sentenced. The rat thinks he's an aristocrat, and it seemed unlikely the judge would allow that crap.
Surprise, surprise. The judge's instructions yesterday involved a restriction on testifying or campaigning. I note that he did not mention emotional meltdowns. Thus, the defendant delivered a five-minute inner dialogue that provided a window into the stress and rage the rat experienced when trapped. This was something that no lawyer would ever want their client to do.
Now, as Dr. Bandy Lee recently pointed out, the defend-rat's brain functions much the same today as it did in 2015. The two differences are the result of the aging process and great stress. Thus, when he talks about things such as the airports of the Civil War, it is not dementia. It's ignorance, the same as in 2016. When he has a melt-down in court, that's stress brewing in an aging brain.
Think of the rat's brain as a vat of toxic liquid. It has percolated for decades. The loss in 2020 turned up the heat, and the liquid began to boil. The criminal and civic cases he faces have turned the heat up further, and his only "defense" is to spew the essence of his concentrated toxins.
Now think of his audience of loyal followers. It includes the cowardly republican rats in DC, and the collection of brain dead, including the "religious wrong," those who mistake their gun for their penis, and sov-cit militias. As both the rat's trials and the November approach, and the rat spews his poison, expect them to act out. So be awake and aware when in public.
And enjoy watching Jack Smith swing the shovel.
Easterncedar
(2,338 posts)I love where your essay landed, with Jack Smith swinging that shovel. Please oh please may it come true.
And Im sorry for your brothers suffering.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)I had the mental image of Mr. Smith swinging that shovel since watching the news last night. Since he grew up near one of my grandfather's nephews, I think he likely had some batting practice. I'm confident that he will knock the rat out of the park.
Also, my brother was a character. A common feature of retired fighters is substance abuse, and rather than me going into a detailed description od the brain chemistry involved, I'll say he was a champion of the Irish Flu. Thus, my siblings and I are unanimous in saying he caused more "suffering" for us with the daily mischief he got into. We all miss that. But not the middle-of-the-night mischief!
Arne
(2,097 posts)and a slow clap applause.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)blogslug
(38,019 posts)A classic end-of-the-movie moment, where the hero delivers a moving soliloquy that defeats the villain and saves the day.
I read he actually "practiced" what he was going to say. I find that dubious because that implies writing something down and memorizing it. He is incapable of such tasks.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)from laughing so hard from your delightful response! Thank you so much! Absolutely perfect!
Maybe his lawyer had given him an outline of what he was allowed to say? Can you imagine what they were thinking when the rat decided to go off script? When he (verbally) attacked the judge?
blogslug
(38,019 posts)Before "The Apprentice" he was a New York joke. Burnett fashioned him into something he absolutely was not and millions of suckers bought it.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)I knew of him from his dealings with Don King in promoting boxing years before. He was recognized as just wanting to be associated with tough guys. King convinced him that he was like one of the mob bosses of old, exercising control of the fight game. King made millions, at the exact rate the defendant lost millions.
MiHale
(9,786 posts)1WorldHope
(696 posts)I lost my wild and crazy brother too. I miss him more than I expected. But I didn't expect him to die before me either. Thanks again for the work and emotional investment that went into your piece.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)I had a lot of adventures with my brother, times I can look back on with happiness. My children are having me write up my life story before i, too, "break on through to the other side." Writing about some of tose adventures has me laughing pretty hard.
malaise
(269,201 posts)Except for the sad loss of your brother. Come on Jack Smith, swing that shovel. 😀
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)My son and I found if we got talking about boxing or George W. & Cheney, his mind would work clearly for extended periods. Then it became boxing and the defemdant. He would want me to mention him in conversations warning of the dangers the defendant poses today. And he was a heck of a trainer, too ..... so he'd recommend everyone do campaign workouts five times a week through the November main event.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,047 posts)H2O Man
(73,627 posts)on if you are talking in the context of the larger society or the legal system. Maybe consider the language of th incarcerated, and you'll find the answer.
Martin Eden
(12,878 posts)He is OUR retribution!
Of the RIGHTEOUS kind.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)I remember when Mr. Smith was appointed to his current position, a number of people here questioning who he was, and why he was the one for the job. I think both have been answered.
Martin Eden
(12,878 posts)He carries a big shovel, and swings it well.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)at the right time. Gandhi said that one meets who they are supposed to at the right time. I'm glad the country is meeting Mr. Smith at this time. And I'm delighted that the defendant is meeting him now, exactly when he is supposed to.
JoseBalow
(2,497 posts)Thank you for sharing!
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)I love Jim in concert. And the rest of the group.
Thank you!
Saoirse9
(3,684 posts)The only thing that comforts me when orange Jesus is constantly in the news for saying stupid shit nonstop is this:
Hes saying stupid shit because hes fucking terrified. He tries to fool himself into thinking the shit hes spewing is going to help his case but he knows it really wont. He knows he cant outrun Jack Smith.
Hes stupid but hes not that stupid, ya know?
Really nailed it H. Thanks for reminding us to stay safe, and thanks for nailing the rat with the shovel, metaphorically.
H2O Man
(73,627 posts)The guy has focused all of his education on finance, real estate, and white collar crime. In the context of politics, all he knew was how to donate to various candidates, in the belief those dollars would translate to favors. Yet he is ignorant of history. He has no more familiarity with the Constitution than he does the bible. He is a failure as a human being. A loser.(Grin)
Beringia
(4,316 posts)Hi Waterman, I was looking up info on Illinois Indian artifacts and found out there was something called the Waterman Site that was excavated. It just struck me because of the name.
From the website:
The Michigamea then built a new village at the Waterman site, which was located only about 1.5 km from the third Fort de Chartres, a stone fortress then under construction. They remained at the Waterman site until 1765,
Located on Illinois Route 155, four miles west of Prairie du Rocher, the site marks the location of the last of three successive forts named de Chartres built by the French during their eighteenth-century colonial occupation of what is today Illinois.
https://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/nat_amer/post/htmls/arch_water.html
Here is a map of the Randolph County, where Fort de Chartres, from 1875
https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4103rm.gla00109/?sp=10&r=0.064,0.129,0.702,0.357,0