In Absentia

It's a shame there wasn't anything really big happening this week (other than the 300+ people killed by violent tornadoes in the southeast). So let me take this time to share a story with you:

When I was growing up, my parents taught me a lot. One of the more important lessons they gave me was a little background on bullies. See, I was bullied quite a bit growing up because I was the nice kid, the boy scout, the kid who got all the As and stayed out of trouble. When I thought I got detention in the third grade, I remember breaking down and crying at my desk...right next to my best friend, whom I had been conversing with...and that got me in trouble. As I looked up, however, I noticed I had only received a warning from the teacher. Not actual detention. Yeah, that was my screwed-up life growing up. My parents had instilled in me an attitude of hard work and staying out of trouble. So when I had trouble with a bully, my folks explained that bullies are just people who attack those they perceive as weaker...just to get a response. That part of my life came to mind recently as Donald Trump repeatedly called out President Obama, calling into question his birth in the United States. Here's the President's response:

The Daily Show - Believe It or Believe It - Obama Releases Long-Form Birth Certificate
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(Yeah, I know...I saw it in there too. We're going to pretend it didn't happen Friday morning...)

The Daily Show - Longformers
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

So, Trump bullied President Obama into giving up his birth certificate. It's a bad precedent for the President. Now Trump's calling for school records...next it'll be the latest health exam...then it'll be DNA analysis of his hair. I appreciate what the President was trying to do. He was trying to shut Trump/Palin (2012!) up so the media would start focusing on the things that matter: the budget, jobs, health care, Will & Kate's...WHOAWHOAWHOA! Not getting mentioned here! Anyway, my point is, when my bully wouldn't shut up in school, I kicked him in the shin and he pretty much left me alone (don't judge...I was in 2nd grade). Since it's clear the birth certificate didn't work, I hope Mr. Obama finds a good "kick to the shin" to shut Trump up. Doesn't the President get three free kills by the Secret Service? Or is that just in the Simpsons?

See you all back here next week for Blog #200!
-B-