Profiles in Courage

This blog isn't intended to discuss politics as such. I have strong opinions on the topic, but I don't particularly want to use this platform to share them. There are plenty of other good news sites, blogs, and miscellaneous sources for news and views.

Having said that, this blog is called Broken Symmetry, and one example of broken symmetry is false equivalence: where two wrongs (or rights) are treated equally, despite their disproportionate natures. Another sad, but real, example of broken symmetry is the lack of courage displayed by individuals, corporations and other organizations, and governments on things that matter, while they trumpet their trivial stands against meaningless threats.

I suppose that this is the counterpoint to the "Good Guys" concept that I introduced recently.

So, this presidential campaign season has demonstrated many examples of courage and cowardice. In several cases, I will admit that I was well and truly wrong about an individual or institution. In others, I was unfortunately correct. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge a few of these, given the rather amazing events of the past couple of days. Please note that I am making no attempt to be fair and/or balanced. I don't call a joystick a multifunction control lever and I don't call a pathetically limp excuse an act of courage. If you disagree with some or all of these, more power to you. I would advise that you can find reading more to your liking elsewhere on the Internet.

This week's award for Best Self-Inflicted Wound by a Corporate Legal Department goes to NBC, which had the Donald Trump sexual assault video tapes and sat on them, because they were afraid of being sued. Finally, a staff member leaked the tapes to The Washington Post, who immediately verified their reality and then published them. What's genuinely amazing is that even I know that a public figure has almost no legal protection from the publication of factual information. Any lawsuit by a candidate for President about a video made while he was the "star" of a reality television show would be laughed out of court. Obviously, the WaPo receives a Good Guy award for its publish and be damned attitude.

On a similar note, the New York Times publication of Donald Trump's state tax returns, showing that he has likely paid little or no income taxes for many years is noteworthy only compared to the pathetic television "news" networks. The Times, and many other newspapers, have long and bold histories of breaking these kinds of stories. This is a reason to keep paying for them: even in the era of instant Internet information, there is still a place for genuine journalism.

We have some individual Good Guys, as well:

• Mitt Romney—This is one that I feel strongly about. I underestimated the caliber of the man when he ran for President. I would like to apologize for that. I don't agree with his politics, but I give him full credit for integrity.
• George H.W. Bush—I have always believed George the First to be one of the most intelligent men to hold the office of the President of the United States. There were times when he did not live up to the standards of a good guy, such as when he became Reagan's running mate after calling him out for "Voodoo Economics", but he has redeemed himself repeatedly this campaign season
• Khizr and Ghazala Khan, Alicia Machado, Gonzalo P. Curiel, and Elizabeth Beck—All private citizens who displayed dignity and courage when attacked by publicly attacked by Trump. (Yes, Curiel is a judge and technically not a private citizen, but he had done nothing to deserve the attack, except his job.)
• The long list of journalists and columnists who have kept reporting on Trump, despite threats, insults, and general malice from the man.

The list of individual Bad Guys is too long for a blog entry, but there are some who deserve special mention. With luck, history will piss on all of them:

• John McCain—Is being reelected to the Senate when you are eighty years old really more important than your personal pride and integrity?
• Bob Dole—I listened on NPR as Dole was interviewed and said that despite the fact that Trump was not qualified to be President, Dole would support him anyway, because he (Dole) was a lifelong Republican and you don't turn your back on that. I literally yelled at the radio that Dole was a lifelong American, a war hero who sacrificed his arm for his country, and a genuine patriot and that those things seemed a hell of a lot more important than belonging to a club for old, rich, white men.
• Paul Ryan—Any hope that he had of rising above the title of "weasel" has been thrown away.
• Ted Cruz—Donald Trump insulted him and his family, yet he continues his endorsement. I can't speak for his hands, but he has marshmallows for cajones.
• The long list of television "news" people who have kept kowtowing to Trump, despite all evidence indicating that he is Nixon's and Agnew's political love child.