Security blankets

We heard the banging from next door when we visited. Their neighbors were loud, moving things around late at night. After we left, she turned the television sound up. "To show them," she later said. She was surprised when the cops showed up at her door, asking her to turn it down. She waited a while after they warned her, then called the cops back to complain about her neighbor - who had complained about her. That's how the feud started. They now worry about their dog being poisoned, or the cops being called back again and again. The feud, over six months old, shows no sign of slowing down. The DLC reminds me of this foolish squabble when they say Democrats need to "recapture ... muscular progressive internationalism... and convince voters that national security is our first priority." Muscular? I remember my first martial arts instructor. He was a bearded man, with a bit of a gut. He didn't look like a typical sensei, but after a few throws and holds, we were convinced. He then gave us our first lesson. "If you're mugged, give the guy your wallet. Don't fight unless there is no other way to save your life." It was only a few months later that a gang at my high school began to harass me. They knew I took martial arts, and began threatening me, teasing, even throwing rocks. I ignored them, but when they began bothering my friends, I had to do something. There were twenty or so of them - and any one of them could have easily hurt me. I knew just enough martial arts to get myself hurt. Still, I walked up to the "leader", who was imitating martial arts moves to mock me. "You're pretty good," I said. "I could arrange some free classes for you if you want." He turned me down - but none of them bothered us again. There are times when raw brute strength and violence is, sadly, needed. But there are many more times - both in our lives, and as a nation - where a show of force only creates more problems. National security doesn't mean a bigger, badder military. Most of the time, our security isn't through bombs and guns - but through the words of Isaiah: "Learn to live right, see that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans, and help those in need." Providing security to others provides security to ourselves.