Bow Down

I was vocal in my opposition to the first of the Bush Wars, and I lost track of the number of people who came up to me and professed to agree with me, "but… don't tell anybody."

I lost my job because of it. The office manager wanted everyone to sign a document expressing "support for the troops," and I refused. I thought it was splitting hairs to say I opposed the war but supported those waging it.

And that's when a campaign of targeted harassment started. I would come to work in the morning and find my desk vandalized. My name came up "randomly" for drug testing every single week. I was written up for "wasting company resources" when I forwarded a harmless joke on email.

And all the people who professed to agree with me stood silently and watched it happen.

And that's the fatal flaw with East Texans.

Most of them are not the cruel loudmouths and politicians you see on television. Most of them will pull over to help you when your car breaks down, and show up with a covered dish when someone you love passes.

But they also will stand silent when groups or individuals are targeted by the people in power.

These are people who knuckle under to petty authority without a fight.

Fucking useless cowards.