Since most of us are not in the one percent, or even the ten percent, we have all experienced the lash of privilege in some way. The privileged can exclude us in oh so many ways, exclusive clubs, schools, neighborhoods, etc. But some times the ways are not as obvious, like children playing baseball.
Growing up we had one “wealthy” family in our neighborhood. The Greens always had the latest and the newest of everything from cars to the first color TV in our neighborhood. What was most important to me though, was that the boy my age had every toy and piece of sports paraphernalia known to man. Whenever pickup games were called, and the group was between baseballs or bats or gloves, we could always ask Mikey to play. The invite always included his equipment.
Now, on the surface it sounds like we children had negotiated a settlement that worked for all. Mikey got to play, which would have not been the case had he not provided the equipment. The rest of us got to play with an endless supply of new equipment. Win, win, right? Not really.
It seems that the privileged learn at a very early age that if they are the providers of capital, in this case balls and bats, then they are due a return on their investment. Foul balls are called fair, strikes are called balls and tag outs always “just missed”. For a while the rules can be bent in the interest of getting to play, but eventually, an event takes place that is so egregious that it cannot be ignored. At that point the privileged go to an arguing position that must be learned in utero.
The argument might proceed in a normal fashion, with a reasonable back and forth, until the ultimatum will be delivered, “if you don’t do thus and so, then I’ll take my bat and ball and go home.” Depending on the lateness of the hour, we might decide to let Mikey take his bat and ball and go home and wish him Godspeed in doing it. It was a lot harder decision in the early innings.
How all of this relates is the trumpeting of one Donald J. Trump that if he loses, the election must be rigged. Having been allowed to bully and coerce everyone around him since birth, he is now thoroughly convinced that the world agrees with his every thought. If the polls say something different, then they are rigged. If the election does not go his way, then it would have been stolen from him.
The Donald has gone so far with his lunacy to suggest that his minions should monitor the voting booths. Nothing says a fair and impartial election like a group of armed skinheads at every polling place.
Being held hostage by the fear of a revolution if the Donald doesn’t win is not a situation that any American, Republican or Democrat, should stand for. Even Trump’s Libertarian supporters should rebel at the extortion being employed.
Fortunately there are a few adults left in charge. Even some of the most staunch Republicans are calling for the Donald to quit his whining and just run his race. Let’s all give democracy a chance
As far as I am concerned, I am more than happy for the Donald to take his bat and ball and go home. “Good riddance to bad rubbish” as we used to say when we were kids.