Defensive and Defenseless WOMM
An essay of banal wit, on race, gender, and age
May 20, 2017
I always thought the designation WASP, White Anglo Saxon Protestant,
was a description of an East coast elite. Not a salt of the earth
steward of the land like myself. I am not entirely white my
grandmother was Swedish. We all make judgments, but look around this
world. Have you listened to people? Wisdom and talent comes along in
all shades, genders, and species. I am not saying I have met aliens
but I wouldn’t want to exclude the possibility. I do not understand
the behaviors of WOMMs (White Old Married Males). Ailes and O’Reilly
are recent examples.
As much attention as my avalanche of white hair attracts, it doesn’t
mean younger women think I’m sexy. I cannot comprehend the pleasure of
using power and wealth for sexual favors. I always wanted to be
desired, and if not desired, then it would be an empty act. I do not
want to miss the frowns on the jokers and the clowns who do their
tricks me. I am enough of a clown to do my own tricks. I am thankful
my wife still enjoys me for being me. She long ago discovered I
possess little power and not much money.
Fox News became the sex predator network while preaching division, fear, and hate towards others they deemed immoral.
I do catch people looking at me these days; I think it best not to
know why. At the gym I have discovered if you think someone is looking
at you, you are standing between them and the mirror. I am making a
request to old white men awake from your rage. Open your eyes to your
own blindness and flaws. You are costing me my ability to glide
through senior hood with respect. It is past time to join the
twenty-first century. Remember old values still hold. A lifetime of
respect and trust can be lost in a moment. Many events have
demonstrated deeply held sexist and racist attitudes still exist, but
I pray for more enlightenment. I would suggest if you start a
statement I am not racist, but … , or I have nothing against women,
but … stop immediately; nothing that follows is going to be good.
I live in the arc of a lifetime. I want my last moment to be lived as
a part of the continuity of a life worthy of respect and trust. I do
not want it to be a fraught moment of atonement and grudging
forgiveness. OK, old white males if you don’t shape up I am going to
have to switch sides, and become young again. I think I’ll keep the
white hair, even if I achieve the body of a 25 year old. I have grown
to like my hoary head.
Trying to get my haircuts on a more regular schedule,
but I still think full Gandalf would be a good option
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