Fight Hell Like Hell.

For about the last twenty years or so something dangerous has become so accepted and commonplace that its actually heightened its danger.

We've been taught relativism.

We've been taught acceptance.

We've been trained in looking at other points of view.

Generally speaking such equanimity is a good thing. 

But in many cases relativism has gone too far. When I worked in an advertising agency, I never believed "everyone is creative." I never believed "a good idea can come from anywhere." I certainly had no respect whatsover for those awards shows that have people asking their LinkedIn feed, or their butcher, for votes. 

I'm Draconian when it comes to things like this. Mostly because I believe that good is different from popular. Most times, never the twain shall meet.

The bigger problem of relativism or "turn-the-other-cheek-ism" or "fair-balance-ism" is that some things are heinous, outrageous, anti-human and just plain wrong. Yes, I am Old Testament when it comes to this, but some things are just wrong and when we allow them as simply another point of view we are, in effect, accepting, normalizing and endorsing something horrible and egregious. 

In our do-goodery-gone-wild world, we've forgotten that stepping in spiritual dog shit and wiping it on the front of your white button down shirt is just disgusting. It's not an acceptable life-style choice.

Some wrongs follow below.
Things we have been taught to accept.
They are clarion calls of fascism, hate and genocide.
And we're willingly calling them points of view.

trump said this the other day during a concocted event designed to scare the shit out of anyone watching.

There are no two ways to interpret a statement like this. There is no way to "excuse" it or call it (as the pussy-grabbing-apologists did) "locker-room talk." They can pangloss is all they want with their powerful networks of hate and lies. But it's fascism, plain and simple. 

"Equal time" be damned. 

This isn't an argument about the Yankees versus the Red Sox. 

There's no two-sides to be accepted.

More. That is just wrong.

Here's the New York Times book review that got this post going. It's of a book by an historian (not the newsreader) Mike Wallace, a noted writer on the history of New York.

It recounts New Yorker's battle against fascism when so many fellow New Yorker's were excusing the Nazis, accepting and supporting them. [Line about past being prologue goes here.]

But, New Yorkers can survive street hotdogs boiled in street hotdog juice. A couple of mofo nazis--yesterday's or today's--will not bludgeon New Yorkers into submission. 

There are a million and nineteen things that happen every day in amerika that are simply wrong. Not a different viewpoint. Not another way of looking at things. Not worthy of equanimity. As wrong as pederasty, cannibalism, white supremacy and recombinating church and state.

It's our job as citizens to throw bricks, to speak out, to buy a shiv and hurl buckets of red paint at institutions of hate. It's our obligation to being human and decent and fair.

As usual, Rick Blaine puts it in perspective, particularly at :35. And as usual, and appropriately, whoever uploaded this on YouTube sullied the aspect ratio. Because they don't care about the sanctity of art. Or anything, or anyone else.

But we do.
We must.
And we'll fight.
Tooth and muthafukkin nail.