Mooning an Idiot

Updated per the “physics police”: They say that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. That apparently doesn’t apply to actions which fall into the category of idiotic. What is notable is that idiots acting like idiots tend to trigger those reactions more swiftly. One such example is when a person’s id is triggered by an idiot and out of a desire to ‘send a message’ the response might be to “moon” the idiot.

“…the word idiot originates from the Greek word idiwtes (idiotes), which refers to a person disinterested in participating in democracy and public life. These people were viewed as selfish, contemptable and stupid as they were more concerned with their daily personal affairs than they were of the good of the society. Later in the Middle Ages the word took on additional connotations associated with being stupid, such as being mentally incapable.”

So here’s the rub. Mooning is an imbecilic, sophomoric action, i.e., idiotic. Therefore what we have with someone ‘mooning an idiot’ is idiot on idiot behavior. Sadly, everywhere we look lately, people are engaging in the equivalent of idiot mooning.  This is especially true in the politisphere. Someone does something idiotic and another person responds with something equally or more idiotic, thus the analogy of “mooning an idiot.”

Take the Joe Wilson episode. Setting aside free speech arguments for the moment, Wilson’s breach of decorum was, in my opinion, idiotic. Personal attacks and/or name-calling in a public forum are nothing more than attention-getting devices that distract from real issues. Wilson had every opportunity to hold a press conference following the address and lay out his case for why he believed that the information being conveyed was not truthful; but instead, he chose to behave badly.  What happened next however, was a classic example of “mooning an idiot.”  In response to Wilson’s childish outburst, Congress spent precious hours issuing a “rebuke” of Mr. Wilson. This action was a useless and costly venture done purely for show and to allow the “mooners” an opportunity to display their backsides for the country’s viewing (dis)pleasure.

These types of exhortations that infer all criticism or protest relative to the president or his policies is racially motivated does nothing to advance the issues that are important to the majority of voters in our country.  In fact, it does more damage by increasing the political and social divides of our country at this moment.

Even worse, mooning an idiot is not an action reserved for one political party or another; nor is it a single cycle of idiocy.  Idiot mooning can be self-perpetuating when the ‘mooning’ is met with another idiot engaging in the same type of mental pants-dropping.  For example, if another idiot like  Glen Beck or Rush Limbaugh responds to Congress’s action to rebuke Joe Wilson with some idiotic call for protest, they too would be “mooning an idiot.”

Barney Frank’s comments in response to the townhall participant accusing the President Obama of “Hitleristic” tendencies was nothing more than an episode of “mooning an idiot.”  There are certainly more mature ways of handling the so-called ‘angry mob’ participants such as demonstrated by Congressman Joe Sestak.  Joe chose to keep his belt buckled and his cheeks appropriately covered despite being confronted by people unable to ask questions in a civilized and adult manner.

Idiot mooning is also occurring when a bunch of gagglers gather to protest Glen Beck’s appearance at a Chamber of Commerce dinner. I say alleged because their energies would be better spent protesting over substantive matters.  Protesting Glen Beck will do nothing to further our country’s progress.  (See how this idiot mooning thing works?)

Next time you see it happen, call out these idiot mooners.   Everyone needs to pull up their pants and get to work.