Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Tough, Stupid Often The Same

Come in, sit down, and shut up. Class is back in session at the School of Hard Knocks.

Today's lesson, students, concerns toughness.

Many young hormonal members of the male species, primarily, seem to be under the impression being tough requires physical violence and physical confrontation with others  WRONG!!!

Any idiot can get into a fight, and most who do show their intelligence. A smart person, male or female, will pick and choose when and where they will fight, and what they will fight for. Simply being called a name is no reason to lock up with someone else, as it brings one down to the other's level, while showing neither has enough sense to get out of the rain.

In the early 1970s there was a television program called "Baretta" starring Robert Blake. In this drama, Blake played a cop who often told people he wasn't tough. Tough people, he would say, are either in prison or dead. To a degree, this is right, but there are plenty of tough people around who show their toughness without ever resorting to violence.

Unfortunately, many who think being tough means not taking anything off anybody, such as those in street gangs, requires them to bust knuckles repeatedly on people. Normally, this is done with several people jumping on a lone individual and beating them to a pulp, instead of having any honor and going mano-a-mano.

However, this also tends to show the stupidity of those involved, with the exception of the victim, who often has no choice in the matter, and can't adequately defend against the odds involved.

Fighting should be done for principles, not ego. It should be done to combat injustice and oppression, not because "I got dissed."

But, this has nothing to do with being tough. Fighting for ideals, principles and justice, isn't about being tough.

Here's what's tough, boys and girls  getting out, working hard, earning a living, paying bills and raising a family. This is the toughest thing an individual can do.

This, though, requires an inner toughness and durability not found in those who think they have to knuckle up with others.

These punks need to learn a little about self respect and discipline by getting a regular job and earning a paycheck. Next is to find a place of their own, getting out of mom and dad's house, paying rent, utility bills, insurance on the vehicle, maintenance for said vehicle ...etc.

This, friends, is tough.

There is nothing easy about crawling out of a warm bed on a cold morning to get ready for work, even if a person loves there job. It's also hard to go to work when not feeling well, or being downright sick. Yet when it comes to staying employed, this must be done.

Tough is working at a job you might not like much, but staying because there is a wife and child or children to be cared for.

Tough is giving up something you want in order to make sure others in your life have what they need.

Tough is putting in overtime, being away from the family, so the wife and kiddies can have the extras in life.

Tough is staying up all night with a sick child and going to work the next day.

These are a few things that are really tough, and have nothing to do with fighting, except where survival is concerned. Violence doesn't have anything to do with toughness. After all, the prisons and cemeteries are filled with people who thought they were tough because they were violent and could dominate others through physical intimidation.

So, the next time someone says something you don't like, or questions your lineage, show them how tough you really are by turning and walking away. Don't give them the satisfaction of responding, or acknowledging their presence.

Class dismissed  for now.