MY EGO IS NOT THE POINT | 2006-04-19
As usual when I want to reply to a comment I can't find it.
Anyway, Peter included a statement about how I would probably claim that I saw the computer revolution coming in my teens, and added, correctly, that a dictionary definition of "humility" would not refer a person to Bob's Blog.
I don't see why not. I have plenty to be humiliated ABOUT.
But there is an important distinction to be made here.
Unfortunately what Peter says about hte computer revolution is not true. If I had anticipated the computer revolution in my teens, I would be writing from a giant mansion and you would all be paying ME instead of Bill Gates for your computers.
There is a reason I keep emphasizing what an intelligent guy I was when I was young .
And, no, Peter, you smartass, I DON'T know what happened to me since to make me the way I am now.
I am getting on towards the final act and I want you to learn my way of thinking.
Why?
Because it WORKS.
Nobody can face me in a debate on immigration or race. Normally, people would ask, "Bob, what's your secret?"
Nobody does. For decades they have watched me routinely take the opposition to pieces in public, but they seem to think it's some kind of special, interesting phenomenon. Then they go on to use their own Latest Revelation.
SO I keep telling you it WORKS. What I get from that is the observation that I don't seem to mind tooting my own horn.
That is true, but if that is all you notice my message is lost.
In 1982, when John Ashbrook died, the amendment preventing the IRS from imposing racial quotas on every private school in America came up for renewal.
John and I had gotten that amendment on a vote of over four to one with 431 of the 435 voting congressmen sitting there.
When it came up for renewal, John's wifge had been elected to fill out his term. She and Bob Dornan were left to defend it.
They barely made it. They were cut to pieces in the debate.
Did it occur to them to call me in?
No way. I had to sit there watching them babble and miss. I finally managed to get a couple of points to them, or it would have gone down. But I had to do it through other staff.
I could not believe they had not simply read up on what we said in the first place to pass the thing. Their staff work was typical Republicans conservative staff work, beneath contempt.
So what was I supposed to do? Call up Mrs Ashbrook and Bob Dornan and tell the truth, "You can't do this without me."
All they would have noticed was the ego.
And we damned near had racial quotas imposed by IRS mandate on every private school in America precisely because all they woud have noticed was the ego.
I'm getting old, gang. You can either notice the ego or save the race.