(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . What Do I Tell a Little Boy With No Family? Your Family Is Dead Cause Billy Joe Was Compensatin'? [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-05-08 Buckle up, this rant might require earmuffs. I am compelled to write about an orphan, an innocent child, a victim of a crime so heinous as to make me question the condition of humanity. It is the only way I know how to heal myself. It is the only therapy I have, to reach out to you, my extended family, and express my feelings. Self-actualization is a lifelong process, and a necessary one, so that we don’t end up emotionally stunted, playing dress-up soldier with weapons that are most definitely, not toys. I can’t function all that well at the moment. A place where my own footsteps have touched, is now stained with blood. A place I could have envisioned myself in at any time, a place where my own face is easily imaginable as one of the victims, is now forever tainted. But most importantly, lives were forever shattered, and this sweet little boy is on my mind. Clockwise, James, Kyu, William, and Cindy Cho. William is the only one left. This was a beautiful family. No. I can’t. Gve me a sec. See I am narrating my emotions in real time, and perhaps that is a journalistic no-no. but maybe, it isn’t. Maybe the starting and stopping, maybe the letting you into the process of it all and how it affects me personally, and me being transparent about it, will somehow allow you to feel better about your own emotions. Cry, yell, write your congressperson. Protest. It’s ok. Look at them. What might have been? And yet, there are five other wonderful people no longer here to give us their talents, as well. And for what? For what, so imbecilic immature GI joe wannabes have an incendiary phallic enhancement to soothe their insecurities? So they feel better about themselves after secretly watching HGTV and Say Yes to the Dress? All to cater to the male ego? Oh the infernal male ego. I once threw a baseball 93 m.p.h. at a speed throw in Kane County, IL, the very same day I took my then fiance shopping to help her choose the right tones of makeup for her complexion. I have worked on cars with my Grandpa, and cut hair. I have run back and forth across the bridge one might mark, “Perceived Gender Role” in a pink tank top and business suit, often on the same day. When will American men let themselves out of the fake tough guy box they allow themselves to be put in? I am a northern European caucasian, who identifies as straight, male, and one of the things I love most is.. Watching interior decorating on television. So what? I am no more or less complex than any sentient being. I am just willing to admit it. I am willing to admit it so I don’t assume a role better suited to a Bugs Bunny cartoon than polite society. I am willing to admit it because mastery of oneself is the path to peace. I am willing to embrace it because it allows me to live freely. Ah, freedom. I knew I would stumble onto that concept. I have sat in the beer clatches of Texas. I have listened quietly nauseated, while my male neighbors at the community gathering complain about, “no fat chicks” and “how things used to be.” It is like they thought “King of the Hill”, a cartoon parody of life in Texas, was a self-help guide. They sit there and call Ashley Graham fat, and unworthy of their three-inch gift to women everywhere. If any one of these pasty faced, paunchy, bald, insecure excuses for men were even able to put together intelligible language in the presence of this woman, I would lose a bet. Model Ashley Graham So let’s get it all on the table. These toy soldiers are just fragile little boys afraid that maybe, they like Brad Pitt a little too much. They can’t accept that there is a gender spectrum, one made up of a prism of color, not just black and white. They have to be convinced of their manhood, at all times, be it through weapons, or football, or female pursuits. They have to constantly be told that, sure, they could throw a football 70 yards. Sure, they can “get any gal” they want. Sure, they could be a hero if called upon. Sure. So this is what I will tell William Cho when he is old enough. “I am sorry the fifth year of your life is the last you spent holidays with your family. I am sorry your mommy will never take you to Six Flags, again. I am sorry your daddy will never show you how to repair a lawnmower. I am sorry your baby brother is dead. I am so sorry William, that for the rest of your life you will be able to at any time, see pictures of your dead family lying prone on an outlet mall’s pavement. But you see, Billy Joe, or Hank, or insert whatever cliched redneck male name you can think of, was unsure what was hanging between his legs was adequate. So other inadequate males get together and rig the laws to put above all else, phallic superiority as the penultimate priority in government. Sometimes William, wonderful people like your family get caught up in the movement, and get sacrificed, but that is all in the name of the right to feel good about the strength of one’s power tool.” But I am also going to tell him something else. “I failed you, kiddo. I didn’t challenge idiocy hard enough. I didn’t push back against redneck caveman philosophy like I should have.” It’s ok to be you, sweet child. You might be gay, or unsure, you might love classical music, or broadway. You might grow up to be the starting Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, or you might join the symphony. If you have the ability, maybe you will do both. Maybe one day you will be able to take this pain and convert it into action. Maybe one day you will lead us out of this darkness so no future Williams lose their entire family in a matter of seconds because Billy Joe couldn’t keep a stiffy without strokin’ his long(er) gun.” Maybe one day, this fucking exceptional country, with its fucking exceptional mythology, and it’s fucking exceptional immaturity, will fucking grow up.” Ya, that is what I will tell him. If I live that long. I don’t know. I sure do love our mall’s Boba Tea. That might get me killed one day, standing in line, waiting for the Matcha powder, wondering why everything went dark.. Wondering if at that very moment, Billy Joe had the ruler in his pants at the same time he had his hands on the trigger that killed me. -ROC If you like this, share it, Twitter, Facebook, whatever you like. It is time we had a no-holds barred conversation about the root causes of this insanity. And I need to add to my The Claw News family. I work tirelessly each week bring useful content that fights for real progressive change. Join me. If you don’t get your $3.99’s worth, I will personally refund you the month and take the loss on the fees. Guaranteed. Click right here! And I will do this, as well-if you sign up, I will contribute the first month you pay, to this little boy’s GoFundme. (I will post receipts) It is doing well, but it is also, once the storm fades, all he will have to rebuild his life with. And it will never be enough. It could never, ever be enough. Gofundme for Allen Tx Shooting-R.I.P. Kyu, Cindy and James Cho Love, ROC [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/8/2168224/-What-Do-I-Tell-a-Little-Boy-With-No-Family-Your-Family-Is-Dead-Cause-Billy-Joe-Was-Compensatin Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/