Human individuals may turn the other cheek and ignore a slight or an injury, but a government cannot do so, since it then ceases to be the protector of its citizenry. ... But we have let ourselves be pushed around once too often. Today as many as 40,000 of our citizens lie dead ... Let the word go forth from this moment on YOU FUCK WITH US AT YOUR OWN PERIL.
Agreed, TEd. In hindsight I wish I'd previously posted this thought under our "rudeness" thread, for it would resonate here:
We can all deplore rudeness, and cruelty, and bullying, and violence, but we cannot stop with mere deploring words. In the real world they will ever exist, and we are responsible for how we act - or fail to act -- accordingly.
Cruelty, bullying and violence are weeds, and will spread ever-wider unless checked. There is but one way to deal effectively with the most vigorous and vile weeds: to deracinate them, thoroughly and promptly. One can hope to be careful and gentle, but never at the risk of losing sight of the job that must be done.
