I miss "The Duke"

When I was young, my brother and I would squabble over just about anything, My mother would enter the scene and remind me that John Wayne said in an interview that the thing he hated most in life was pettiness. Realizing that I was fighting over petty issues, I was ashamed that I was out of The Duke's good graces. Reluctantly, I stop fighting until I had a good reason; i.e. My honor had been questioned, Someone was rude to a lady, They were shooting at me, or they were no good scoundrels who just needed to be taught a lesson.

Then I realized that John Wayne would have a hard time making it today in our modern world. Every time he would take a dame into his arms and kiss her hard because she needed it (Even if she didn't know she did); He'd end up in the slammer for sexual harassment. Every time he would punch someone in the nose, he'd be back in jail for assault. You can see the pattern. My boyhood hero would end up in the police blotter every other day.

I hear people longing for a simpler time and place, but it's too late to keep the genie in the bottle. Times have changed and there's no going back. Still... there should be room in this world for putting a bully in his place without ending up behind bars.

John Wayne says:

Buy Rick's Books...if ya know what's good for ya. pilgrim