In the last few months I have become, how shall I describe it, more bolshie, more antagonistic, more pissed–off with the world around me.
Maybe I can like Col. Nathan Jessup put my mood down to “this dam heat”. I’m sure the summer temperature plays its part in my frame of mind.
With a few exceptions, I mostly wear shorts and sleeveless tee shirts that display the tattoos on my upper arms. My left upper arm shows three Chinese characters invoking peace, love, and hope. On my right upper arm are three male, female, and baby elephants. The tattoos on my shoulder blades are covered by the tee shirt. And on my lower left leg is a butterfly.
In the gym I attend my tats are not given a second glance as many of the male and a few of female members have vast areas of their respective bodies covered in inkings.
It’s in the street, supermarket, and other public places that I attract stares, nearly always from religious people or the occasional Haredim (ultra-orthodox Jews).
On extremely rare occasions they try to tell me that it is an affront to have bodily tattoos, my stock reply is that if they have a problem with my tats, then that is ‘their problem’, not mine.
And yes, I have started saying to them when they try to explain why I should not have tattoos, I tell them “whatever rocks your boat”, which of course said in English is not understood.
Maybe I could use the Dean Martin line “ain't that a kick in the head?
Doubt few if any would understand the line.
Have I become a grumpy old man? Possibly, although while I am happy to adhere to the ‘grumpy’, I don’t think of myself as ‘old’.
Yes, I know I was born in 1949.
The following is a board description of a GOM – grumpy old man.
Does it define me, in many ways, yes.
A "grumpy old man" is a colloquial term used to describe an elderly individual, typically a man, who is often irritable, easily annoyed, or quick to express dissatisfaction or displeasure.
This term is not meant to be taken literally but rather as a stereotype or humorous characterization of older people who may exhibit traits such as impatience, grouchiness, and a tendency to complain about various aspects of life or society.
It's important to note that not all elderly individuals fit this stereotype, and people's personalities can vary widely regardless of their age. The term "grumpy old man" is often used in a lighthearted or affectionate manner when referring to someone who exhibits these characteristics.
When you think about the current situation here in Israel, it is surprising that there are not more grumpy old men and women. For that matter more grumpy people in general.
Recently Miri Regev and Itamar Ben Gvir have been in the news (yet again) this time for driving offenses committed by their drivers at their instance, according to various media sources.
Given that there is no smoke without fire, one has to assume that these media reports are not fake news.
It’s therefore critical to understand that Regev, Ben Gvir, and the majority of this Kakistocracy government believe themselves to be ‘entitled’, and ‘privileged’ and that the law, rules, regulations, and common decency most subscribe to, do NOT apply to them.
You can see another example of this twisted thinking in the recent comments of Israel’s Construction and Housing Minister, the mediocre, rotund Yitzhak Goldknopf, and his blackmail threat, that if the “draft law doesn't pass, there's no government”.
Should the law not pass and the government collapse (a reason to celebrate), in a new election the Haredim would be swept into the wildness years (another reason to celebrate).
And if such a law was to pass, Goldknopf, Gafni, Deri, and Co., will be responsible for driving Israel into an abyss from which the country would never recover.
Is this the legacy we want to leave our children and grandchildren?
In May 1765, Patrick Henry wrote his now famous Virginia Resolves which laid out the “(no) taxation without representation” argument.
I’m sure someone can create a similar slogan in Hebrew that proclaims to the Haridim that “there is no representation without universal national service”.
And no, sitting on your backside learning by rote massive passages of text is NOT national service, and that includes as someone asked all the Harry Potter books.
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