Anger

“Anybody can become angry — that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way — that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.”

― Aristotle

“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”

― Ambrose Bierce

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Yeah, it has been a day

I suspect my more conservative friends are ready to disown me

I certainly have been ready to disown them

OK, OK

Not really

But today when my anger over the “way of the world”

has gotten to me

Seriously

I am tired of the lies

The greedy

The shaming of the poor

The excuses for hideous behavior by those who should, who must, do better

I am tired of the hate

The prejudice

The illogical arguments

The blind nationalism that makes people cruel

I am not ashamed of anger

I do not believe it is wrong

But, Aristotle has it right

One has “to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way…”

And there are times I am angry at the wrong person, to the wrong degree, at the wrong time, for the wrong purpose, and most frequently of all, in the wrong way

Damn

I hate it when that happens

I hate myself when that happens

When I over react

When I attack a person personally

Or use my knowledge, and skill with words, to essentially bully another

When I build abysses, rather than bridges

When I push away, rather than draw toward

When I make the best speech I come to regret

Ah, my friends

Those who cheer me on

Those who are frustrated and repelled

Those who are angry back….

Those who have, perhaps, chosen to reject me

We can do better

I can do better

I will always challenge what I don’t think is right

That’s just me

But HOW I do it is important

Just as how we create safety as a country matters (caging kids is not it)

Just as how we create wealth matters (ruining the environment, and abusing workers is not it)

Just as how we use our power is important (being a bully on twitter, or shooting POC is not it)

So it is time to disagree

Maybe time for anger…..

but