Some random thoughts on some random subjects

Just when you thought our federal government couldn’t get any more dysfunctional, we all watched the political train wreck that was the ouster of a U.S. Speaker of the House for the first time in our nation’s history. Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of office thanks to 208 Democrats and 9 Republicans — meaning 210 Republicans voted for him. (Georgia’s 14 representatives voted 5-9 against the ouster along party lines.) McCarthy had it coming. It took 15 votes for him to get the job in the first place and one of the conditions he agreed to was to allow a single member of Congress — Democrat or Republican — to bring a “motion to vacate,” which forces a vote on removing the speaker. Republican Matt Gaetz, of Florida, did just that. . . .

Humorist Will Rogers once observed he was not a member of an organized political party. He was a Democrat. No question if ol’ Will was around today, he would be a Republican. They have turned disorganization into an art form. . . .

Meanwhile back home, the Georgia High School Association has approved a rule allowing high school athletes in the state to profit from their name, likeness and image (NIL) as do college athletes today. You have to wonder where all of this is going to end up: Middle school? Grammar school? Preschool? (“Hello. My name is Timmy, I am 4 years old. I play dodgeball and I want to tell you about a special this weekend on tire rotation from my friends at Meineke Car Care. Tell ‘em Timmy sent you. Now ‘scuse me. I gotta go teetee.”). . . .

Is there any nation on Earth more preoccupied with dredging up its past and heading off on a guilt trip than we are? On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor without warning, killing 2,400 Americans and wounding a thousand more. Some 11,000 American soldiers died as Japanese prisoners of war and another 500 to 600 Americans didn’t survive the brutal Bataan Death March. So what do some want to focus on 80-plus years later? Japanese internment camps. Given that we didn’t know the good guys from the bad, our government took no chances. And good for them. To you hand-wringers, get over it. The Japanese started it all with their sneak attack. They are the ones who should be apologizing and making repatriations. ….

My recent column about my trip to Iraq to be with members of Georgia’s 48th Brigade Combat Team got a response from Dr. David Campbell, senior minister at Due West United Methodist Church in Cobb County. He had been there 20 years ago as an Army chaplain and knew first-hand the conditions I had described. However, he had one correction to offer. I had quoted Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman as saying, “War is hell.” Dr. Campbell said, “Sherman was wrong. War is war and hell is hell. It is the chaplain’s job to help remind people of the difference!” Touché!. . .

Another reader who shall remain anonymous is not a Brian Kemp fan. Among the many sins our governor has committed in the reader’s view is that he went to Davos, a worldwide economic forum in Switzerland, viewed by some as a nefarious New World Order cabal. “Kemp has sold Georgians out to the ChiComs,” he wrote,” and attended the WEF Conference in Davos, Switzerland, this past spring. I wonder what kind of screw-job Georgians are about to get from Kemp’s involvement in Davos.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him that Donald Trump also hung out with that bunch of commie pinko, George Soros-loving, tree hugging, climate change conspiracists at the WEF Conference in Davos, as well. Not once, but twice. Oops!. . . .

Finally, our state and my alma mater lost a great man with the recent passing of Sonny Seiler. He will forever be associated with the long line of Georgia Bulldog mascots known as “Uga,” but he was also a crackerjack lawyer in Savannah and possessed of a sharp wit. I was honored to be president of the University of Georgia National Alumni Association and followed in that post by Sonny Seiler. He was a great friend and a Damn Good Dawg. He will be missed.

You can reach Dick Yarbrough at dick@dickyarbrough.com or at P.O. Box 725373, Atlanta, Georgia 31139