When You Think About It: Moo

F LoBuono

Last night, while watching a little late night TV, I caught an old Western. It was pretty standard stuff: rough and tumble cowboys driving a herd of cattle through the prairies and to market. The actors who played the key roles are insignificant for this post.

However, what did strike me as important is how the behavior of the cattle was not so different than our own human proclivity to be herded.

An average steer (the type seen in the movies) weighs about 1600 lbs. In addition to their size and strength, many of them sport extended, sharp horns. Yet, with a series of whistles, shrieks, and some fancy horseplay, the cowboys manage to drive these animals hundreds of miles through hostile, arid land until they reach their final destination - the stockyard pens and eventually, slaughter.

Now, When You Think About It, are we REALLY so different?

Can't our current political climate be seen as us being led, through a series of whistles, shrieks, and fancy horse play to our own demise, too? Like the cattle, we are also powerful yet, still, relinquish that strength by blindly following others, often without reason.

Longhorn Steer

It's the only way that that I can explain those who so loyally (and, blindly) follow President Donald J. Trump. All one need to do is watch one of his rallies to see the comparison. First, the President uses a series of shrieks, whistles, and fancy horseplay to whip his herd into a frenzy. Then, Mr. Trump as trail boss, uses his followers' herding mentality to have them blindly follow him to wherever he may lead - without question (remember, he could shoot someone on 5th Ave. and his minions will still follow him).

Well, I'm no bovine creature! I may indeed march, but always to a different drummer. Besides, where this President leads, I care not to follow. And, I intend to chart my own course once again when I vote MY conscience this Tuesday.