Nothing To Fear But George Himself
 

February 14 2005
Counterbias.com
by Brian Adler
 

Imagine this. You’ve lived in the same neighborhood all your life. One day, a guy – we’ll call him “George” – suddenly moves in down the block. You’ve always kept to yourself; never really bothered anyone… except for that one time.

That one time was several years back, when you got into a fight with a really big guy. You and he duked it out. He hit you. You hit him. It was pretty nasty, until one day the two of you decided to call a truce. Ever since then, the neighborhood has never been quite the same. People still remember that big brawl, and there are still those guys you can’t walk past without getting a cold stare or a menacing glare.

But now you've found something out. This new guy, George, is a relative of the Big Guy.  You haven't seen George in your entire life, but boy, has he got it in for you! George can take hold of a grudge – somebody else’s – and dig his claws in like he’s been your enemy since day one.  And now… George lives down the block. 

He’s been running all over the neighborhood badmouthing you to anyone who’ll listen.  You hate to admit it, but you haven’t always been the best neighbor.  Yeah, when you were young and itching to prove yourself, you did start up with the other kids on the block. You know a lot of people think you’re a pig, but you’ve got your supporters too. In fact, your building is solidly on your side. Maybe they're afraid to disagree with you, and then again, maybe they don’t want to. You’ve lived here a long time – a real long time – and nearness breeds a certain kind of love. 

Unfortunately, “George” doesn’t see things that way.  As far as he’s concerned, you’re a menace to the neighborhood – your neighborhood – and you’ve got to go. So first, he starts some rumors – real nasty ones. He says you’ve been doing stuff, stuff that it’s not nice to talk about. Stuff most people don’t even want to think about, much less mention.  You know what George has been up to; still, you keep your cool, and you keep to yourself. Sure, sometimes when you are out by yourself late at night, you slip into one of the nearby dives and strike up a few conversations. Some people don’t like George. And neither do you. They ask you, can you get your hands on some stuff – maybe a couple of guns. They’re afraid of George too. Seems you’re not the only one he’s been starting with. So, you agree, and a deal is a deal. And what’s nice is that you make some good money too. Now you can afford to buy your girlfriend and her kids a few things they’ve been wanting. 

Plus, you are getting worried.  George is really starting to turn up the heat. One of his guys, we’ll call him “Colin,” shows up on your doorstep, and point-blank asks you if you’ve been running guns. You are evasive. “Maybe I am… and then again… maybe I’m not.” He makes like he’s disgusted, and tells you to “cut it out!” You smile. He says something to you again as he turns to leave. This time it’s real nasty-like, “George wants you to cut it out!”

Thinking on your feet, you tell him to tell George that you’re not doing anything. But at the same time, you’re worried, though you don’t show it. George may have something on you, but it’s really not his business. You are angry. You are afraid. You start thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start stockpiling a few things. After all, George isn’t just after closing down your business – he’s after closing down you! 

But now, things take a turn for the worse. Colin’s gone, and George has got some tough broad named – we’ll call her “Condy” – doing his dirty work.  She makes no bones about it: she’s going to isolate you. Cut you off from everybody. George and Condy are starting to run guns into their part of the block. You’re really getting scared now. George knows you’re no match for him. You ain’t a threat. Not to him. He could knock you out ten times over and still slug it out some more. You make up your mind – you’re going to get the big stuff.

______________________________

Sound familiar? The names may have been changed to protect the innocent, but something like this scene is playing out today, in another part of the world. Somebody is encroaching on somebody else’s turf. One guy is really big, and the other very small. One guy could destroy the other guy ten thousand times over, because that is approximately how many times as many nuclear weapons as he has compared to the other guy. What’s worse is that the strong guy, the one we called “George,” doesn’t want to just stop the other guy from doing what he’s doing. He doesn’t just want the other guy out of the neighborhood. He wants to wipe the other guy and his friends off the face of the Earth. 

Why?  Simple:

George doesn’t share with anyone and George is always right.

Brian Adler is a freelance writer, researcher, and an avid history buff. He also writes screenplays and short stories.

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