Martial Arts

Monday morning is here, dawn has broken over the home of the brave and the land of the free. As those first shafts of sunlight creep westerly across the nation they illuminate, one after another, the flags that have risen to half-mast on this, another day of national mourning. The refrain is all too familiar to us now as we come to grips with the body count from the latest mass shooting. On this particular day after we confront the results of back to back slaughters that left over thirty people dead in the space of just over twelve hours this weekend.

Publishing any academic work is akin to strapping on sparring gear and stepping into the ring. But when an author salts that academic work with accusations about a beloved figure and about the probity of his work, that’s a lot like telling every black belt in the room that their master moves like a pregnant yak. People are not merely going to respond. They’re going to fight back. With vigor.