GLASS MANAGEMENT We have to go back few years ago when Senator Huey Long made it a regular habit of lambasting anyone who seemed to stand in his way as he blindly sought to make himself virtually the dictator of the United States of America.
When we make a short trip such as this one which we would rather not have to admit it is a genuine, authentic, deeply seated part of the expanse of events we call our national history. Part of being a mature nation, a cognoscente, capable and caring people, is, no doubt, to be found in the degree to which we can realize that which was right and good and wholesome and those elements which unthinkably immature and unworthy of the ideals we profess and proclaim with our every action.
The reality of the rise of Huey Long is one such incident we should keep in mind, but for this moment, I wish to call attention to a specific act he engaged in when he was at the peak of his strange, dominating aura of power.
Justs the other day, the current President of Venezuela, speaking before the United Nations after several days of conferences, hearty hailings and Ursa huggings - bear hugs shared with each of them in turn - the masters of the moment in Cuba and Iran. No need to mention their names because there are others, no doubt, within the UN body politic who join with them in hatred for all things American.
The President of Venezuela - Chavez - served as a rather clumsy spokesperson for all when he addressed the assembly and vilified our President George W. Bush with countless epithets and crude innuendos underlying his fiery tirade. He called Bush "the devil"... "who spoke as if he owned he world"... as an "imperialist" and other such sick-stock terms.
Now, return to our Huey Long example for a moment....
Senator Huey Long had the floor of the Senate. He was berating the gentleman Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia Carter Glass. Glass had withdrawn to the Closet Rooms for a rest and respite from the vile things he knew would be uttered. Urgent word was sent to Senator Glass urging him
to return to the Senate Chamber to defend himself. Those imploring him to reply were surprised - even a bit shocked as some people are today in moment such as this.
Many years ago, Senator Carter Glass in speaking of the Huey Long tirade lashing out at him, personally, is reported to have said - rather quietly and with a glimmer in his bright eyes: "When I was just a lad, my father told me never to engage in a pissing contest with a skunk!"
George W. Bush, I feel, would understand Carter Glasses statement and could have quoted it. Said today it would offend some people, get him to lose TV coverage and incite certain religious writer to new, even lower levels of journalistic fury.
Americans citizens, in general, I like to think would agree with Glass and Bush. Deep down many, I feel would at that very moment start thinking through other quotations to help the people Venezuela... the people of Cuba the people of , perhaps a score or more lands where wavering government mis-rule their lives.
For starters, how about thinking through one by Erma Brombeck: " A child needs your love when he deserves it least."
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-21-06 [c-575wds]
