Au Cochonnet Marin

“There are few things more dangerous than a mixture of power, arrogance and incompetence.” ~ Bob Herbert

In 2016 the American people hired famed carnival barker Donald Trump as America.Inc CEO. As underlined by recent events, it has been an unmitigated disaster.

Children born and raised in wealth, are usually bogged down by an intellectual disability generated by their environment. In their critical formative years, they are surrounded by lackeys whose only job is to flatter and to please them… And they inevitably grow up with this sense of entitlement…

To their defense though, it should be noted that the silver spoon protruding from their mouth prevented them from eating the proper food necessary to normal brain development.

A good commander-in-chief knows his limitations. He relies on recognized experts to lead the country. And those experts should feel free to speak candidly, even if they disagree with their boss. This is not the case in a Casa Blanca ruled by anxiety.
Off with their heads, says the king when displeased. And since the beginning of his reign, numerous heads have indeed rolled down in the wicker basket.

During the monarchy, jobs were generally offered to flattering courtiers, regardless of their competence. Their only qualification was a blind devotion to the king… it was also the case for generals and many soldiers lost their lives because of their incompetence.

It seems that under Donald the First, not much has changed. Advisors are still hired (and disposed) solely based on their servile devotion to the King. And fearing for their sheltered livelihood, few dare to disagree.

Today, it is not uncommon to see a CEO fired for incompetence or gross misconduct. And (according to Mark Murphy) the main reasons are “Ignoring customers, tolerating low performers, denying reality, too much talk and not enough action.”

Besides a lack of compassion, this has a familiar ring… the king would be well advised (very unlikely) to think twice and temper his language before lashing out at his foes.

“Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet them on your way down.”

Caesar, beware of the Nones of November!

Alain

*Incompetence: the inability to do something successfully

There is nothing new about police brutality. America is a violent country and brute force has been part of the landscape for a long time… but it has to stop. It has to be purged from our society, especially from all law enforcement agencies.

Uncalled brutality does not serve any purpose other than to humiliate its victims. Ultimately it does not inspire respect or even fear, but hatred and a desire for retribution.

Even though some policemen are clearly guilty of gross misconduct, they are not directly to blame for their actions. Their direct leadership is… and above all, our  Justice system that bears the blame for such a national disgrace. Following the shocking death of George Floyd, the President of the United States should also have made a forceful statement condemning this tragedy. He did not.

When such a drama occurs, stern discipline should be immediately enforced. To show everyone that this kind of behavior won’t be tolerated. All officers involved should instantly be removed from duty and held accountable.

There is no need for brutality anytime. In law enforcement, brawn is sometimes necessary, but gratuitous violence should never be used or tolerated.
When the public sees somebody mistreating a dog, there is a popular outcry and the guilty person is immediately apprehended. The same treatment should be applied to any brutal law enforcement officer.

A community needs a police force, but it should be beyond reproach. The minute its members misbehave, they immediately lose respect and credibility.

Protests are understandable (and warranted), but vandalism and looting are not. They cheapen the rightful anger of the protesters. A massive, dignified demonstration would have had a more positive impact on the popular psyche than fires and wanton destruction.

When this is over, the name of George Floyd will slowly fade away, but the devastation brought by vandals will be remembered for a long time. It will stigmatize one more time the victims of police brutality and unfortunately, make it harder to empathize with them.

The moral burden of this disastrous story is born by a government that cares more about business and politics than fairness and human compassion.

“I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.” Mahatma Gandhi

Protest yes, but wretched violence no.

Alain

I receive “friends requests” on Facebook rather regularly, It is flattering, and at the same time a little intriguing.

I am not averse to “friendship” mind you, but before we (virtually) rub elbows, I would like to know a little bit more about you. Asking me to become your friend is like inviting me for a date. And I am a little choosy in this domain…You would not venture out with a totally unknown person, would you? Your prospective date could be a white supremacist, a Russian spy, a hired assassin, a Goth, or worse, a Trumpist…

Before agreeing to a request, I check the quester’s profile, and very often I draw a blank. His/her outline is as virginal as the driven snow. Absolutely no clue who they are, where they live or what they do. Two or three blurry, insignificant pictures and that’s it.

Why would a stranger request to be my “friend” without giving me the slightest tip about him/herself? This is not the way friendship works. Before we become amigos, I want to know what makes you tick… Because what is a friend?

“A friend is your buddy, your pal, your amigo, your comrade. You know, someone you trust and like enough to hang out with on a regular basis.”

OK then, how can I trust you if I don’t know anything about you?

If you want to become “mon ami” you also need to tell me about you, maybe to woo me, to praise me a little. You have read my stories, you have seen my photographs, you have seen me doing wonders on the pétanque field… you idolize me.

« Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau ! »
How pretty you are! you look so gorgeous to me!

If I fail to see any of these, I will usually ignore your request. My standard policy is “show me yours, I’ll show you mine.” You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

To sum it up…

If you want to be my friend, you will have to tell me a little bit about you. Even if you don’t entirely fit the bill, we might still have enough in common to become quasi-friends.

Alain

Hé ! bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau.
Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau !
Sans mentir, si votre ramage
Se rapporte à votre plumage,
Vous êtes le Phénix des hôtes de ces bois.»

Jean de la Fontaine