By: Kenneth L. Hardin
My 34 year old son was home recently and as we were reminiscing, I reminded him of a life lesson he learned 30 years prior. I even had video proof of two seminal moments to show him that although my memory may have lost a step, it was still sharp enough to put boots on the ground when I needed it to be.
I recalled how as a precocious four year old, he had little fear and was a rough and tumble child. On one occasion, he was using the three seat couch as a trampoline, bouncing from cushion to cushion and sticking the landing on the harder wooden based arm rest.
I warned him once how potentially dangerous this could be but he ignored me and kept up the fun. The video cut off to his squeals of laughter and back on with him laying down on the couch screaming loudly in tears rubbing his head.
The second learning moment came about a year later as he laid down on the hardwood floor imitating some now long forgotten TV celebrity clown doing the worm dance. As my son thrust his body upward, he missed the critical step in the dance where the weight should be applied evenly to your chest and arms coming down as you simulate a snake-like move.
Instead, he placed his full weight down on his face and met the floor with high intensity. He immediately jumped up holding on to his nose and created a new style of painful dance. Both times, my wife angrily questioned why I didn’t stop him before he hurt himself.
I calmly replied on both occasions that I could’ve forewarned him of the impending pain and told him to stop, but he probably wouldn’t have listened nor would he have learned a thing. I wrapped up by saying, I guarantee he won’t ever do either one of those things again. In the years following, I never had to make another trip to the ER with him.
I hope the pain of this warped and sordid presidency the last six months will result in people learning a similar lesson. When you selfishly and carelessly vote against your own interests or do so with the intent that you’ll prosper while others suffer, the pain will be real.
I pray that when you’re placed in the position with the same opportunity in the midterm elections next year and in the 2028 presidential election, you’ll recall how much your face and head hurt now and vote more wisely.
If Democrats gain a majority or the White House, I don’t want them to offer any type of soothing or medicinal relief through being the bigger person or doing what’s good for the country. A lesson needs to be learned just like my young son did.
All those who engage in turning this country into a repository for hate and division, those who reveled in denying people basic civil and human rights, who stripped their fellow man of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness need to be held in judgment and accountable.
I would love to see the next Democratic congress people and President say after finishing their oath, “OK, now y’all gone learn today.”
Kenneth L. Hardin is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
