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JUNE 2003 GAITED HORSE ISSUE |
CONTENTS Montana
Regional Tennesee Walking Horse Rendezvous
& Versatility Show UPCOMING ISSUES  January Wishing Star February Paint March Quarterhorse April Arabian May Reining Horse June Gaited Horse July Fjord Horse August Trail & Recreational Riding September Ride the West October Miniature Horse November Open Breed December Open Breed Don't forget the deadline! "15th of each month for the next month's publication." |
I received phone calls during the heat of the Iraqi war from the urban media. Their question inevitably was, "What do cowboys think of the politicians and media pundits using the term `Cowboy' to describe President Bush and his posse?" My first thought was, `It's a compliment.' But what do you expect? By way of explanation, it is useful to understand the cowboy mentality, and by the way, you do not have to be wearing a hat and boots to have this mentality. It is best demonstrated by this little joke: 1) Place your right hand - palm facing you, two inches in front of your nose. 2) Repeat after me, "Bet you can't hit my hand before I move it!" Now try and imagine the people you know who fit this description - certain qualities come to mind; naiveté, belligerence, bravery, lack of subtlety, sees thing in black and white, makes quick decisions, doesn't ponder consequences, those are the kind of people who will cut off their nose to spite their face. They are easy to play poker with, they are not duplicitous. They don't bluff. This description is not to impugn their intelligence, it's just that their heart or their righteous indignation can override the voice of caution. What notable figures fit into this definition of cowboy mentality? Theodore Roosevelt, Senator Robert Byrd, Sir Edmund Hillary, Atilla the Hun, Harry Truman, Ralph Nadar, Sonny Liston, Ted Williams, Ronald Reagan, Oprah Winfrey, Eleanor Roosevelt, George McGovern. Predictable, steadfast, obdurate, stubborn, reactionary, call-your-bluff kind of people. (You notice neither Saddam Hussein or George H. Bush is on the list. They were negotiators, players of the odds). So, circumstances occurred that provided the free world with a cowboy president of the United States at the same time Al Queda blew up the Twin Towers, Saddam Hussein smugly held the United Nations at bay, North Korea was flexing its muscles, and Iran was debating its next move. The right man for the job? Or the wrong man. Depends on whether you ask the Iraqis or the French. All I know is there are times when ya need a cowboy, and he or she comes with baggage. Here, bet ya can't hit my hand before I move it.
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