TANTRUMS

The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D. (1/5/13)

 

          Most tantrums occur between ages one and three.  They’re the consequence of a child’s frustration, meaning that tantrums are the result of impotence.  In adult politicians, tantrums are often the result of losing an election, leaving the politicians impotent.  If politics is the acquisition of power, impotence is a terrible affliction.

 

          A tantrum’s purpose is to screw everything up and bring it all to a standstill which in adults is anti-social behavior, even sociopathetic.  First, the Republicans wanted us to fall over the fiscal cliff.  When they discovered that was unpopular, some decided to forsake their tantrums, save for all of the hissy-fit Republican congressmen in Arizona.

 

          We’ve all seen a child throw a tantrum in a supermarket, maybe even having had one of our own children embarrass us with such behavior.  Now, we can watch the Republicans, especially the tea-party types, nut-case evangelicals and Roman Catholics, and assault weapon NRA nay-sayers, throw fits right where everyone can see them. 

 

          One of the reasons that children are prone to tantrums is that they are without a quiver full of other strategies, that is, they haven't grown up.  We try to soothe or appease children which often doesn’t work or whack them which is abuse.  For adults, especially retro-toddler politicians, who propose that we shut down the government, deny aid to the oppressed, and add more assault weapons to stop assault-weaponed slaughter, ridicule is the best response.  Better yet, abuse the abusers with some whacks of defeat.