B. U. G. S.

Mark very generously apologized for what he said to me.

This shows the moral courage I keep preaching.

Joe said,

“Way to go, Mark. You’re obviously a better man than I am. If I delivered a flying dropkick to a man there is no way in the world I could ever salute him. Congratulations to you.”

Joe, you were right to call it courage, and we both have a lot to learn.

You said you would like to help me mature a bit. I could use it.

I was just talking with Jim Kelso on the phone. He said I was helping Stormfront a lot by telling people I am 65 this year and yet it is obvious to everybody that I am still learning and dealing with the latest computer technology.

Kelso says it encourages younger people that people at our age, which seems unimaginable to them, as you know, are still learning and know we have to learn.

So it comes as a bit of a surprise to some readers when you tell me you can help me learn some. People like us are supposed to be frozen into place, Seats of Wisdom you know.

It’s a cliche, but it is very true statement: when you have all of our experience and background and knowledge it opens vistas to you of what you DON’T know and what you HAVEN’T experienced.

The Old Man on the Mountain sits up where he can see a long, long way. If he wanted to think he knew everything he would sit in a hole.

Here is a lesson you have just introduced yourself to:

You and I fight hard. We either have to do it perfectly or we have to LEARN to apologize for a flying dropkick to a person.

If you are going to give everything you have to a battle, you simply cannot afford hard and fast rules about how YOU look.

Mark decided he had not done the propser thing. He had a reason for what he did, so then he had to decide whether to quibble or simply to apologize and go on.

I made it very clear that Mark had hurt me, a very unmacho thing to do.

So Mark had a choice between hurting a comrade or just saying he was wrong to someone he could trust to accept his apology with gratitude. He chose the latter, and if you are not able to choose the latter, you know you should LEARN to.

If you can admit Mark’s courage, I think you would be able to follow his example.