The Ultimate Answer to Kings: I've borne witness to discussions not very much less silly than this.

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Monday, October 3, 2011

I've borne witness to discussions not very much less silly than this.

5 comments:

Carl-Bear said...: Just possibly... the words "healthy discourse" were never spoken with greater irony.

In point of fact, I've witnessed discussions even sillier by those who thought they were being serious. Sadly, those people, who most need to get the joke, won't.; October 3, 2011 at 4:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Anyone who has encountered Gunkid has witnessed something beyond sillier but yet uttered in ernest.

Buck; October 3, 2011 at 8:20 PM
Joel said...: Okay, touche'. Gunkid could take that seriously - but only if you added peanut butter. In a can.; October 4, 2011 at 7:52 AM
Anonymous said...: Joel said...
"Okay, touche'. Gunkid could take that seriously - but only if you added peanut butter. In a can."
-----------------------------------

In a wheel barrow with a solid rubber tire and 'bricks' of .22 to cushion the PB.

stay safe,

gooch
who ducks back under his new improved tinfoil hat/shield combination. [patent pending]; October 4, 2011 at 12:52 PM
MamaLiberty said...: Oh, that was funny. :); October 4, 2011 at 2:50 PM

The Ultimate Answer to Kings

Previous OPSEC Violations

Who is this mouthy lunatic?

Throw Uncle Joel Under the Bus!

Shameless Plug!

The Scroll of Jeremiah

The Last Faithful Man

Walt's Gulch

Songs of Bad Men and Good

Blog List

Oleg Volk

Monday, October 3, 2011

I've borne witness to discussions not very much less silly than this.

5 comments:

Why the hell did you scroll all the way down here?