Posted by
Crescen7(Regis Matejcik) on Friday, May 04, 2007 6:56:31 PM
Last Sunday afternoon five youngsters ages 4 through 11 played as they walked home from a neighborhood store. The group of children and their small dog, a 9 year old Jack Russell Terrier, were suddenly set upon by two marauding pit bulls. The large and powerful dogs immediately downed the smallest child and began a vicious attack. The terrified children were frozen with fear.
The Jack Russell Terrier refused to be intimidated.
The small dog, less than a third the size of the either of the two pit bulls, leaped directly at the attacking canine – biting squarely on the nose of the vicious foe before quickly bounding to a safe distance a few of feet away. But rather than retreat, the small Terrier barked tauntingly at the pit bulls. The smaller dog succeeded in drawing the attention of the attacking beasts, he barked, bit, dashed, darted, and circled the large, but dim witted beasts; confounding his physically superior enemies. The brave and courageous warrior Terrier seemed to know that he couldn't win this fight alone, but he could buy enough time for the innocent children to escape the attacking pit bulls and reach safety.
All of the children escaped - unharmed.
If the valiant Jack Russell could hold out long enough, others might recognize the evil with which he was fighting. Others who had strength, size, and numbers, could be alerted and easily vanquish these marauding evil foes.
After agonizing minutes of savage fighting, a few men with blunt weapons drove off the pit bulls, and carefully took the badly injured hero terrier to a nearby veterinary clinic. There, the brave, and valiant terrier, who succeeded in saving five children, calmly and quietly died from the wounds received in his heroic battle.
There is something about this true story that is extraordinarily sad. So sad that I can barely tell it without choking back tears. Perhaps it's sad because we have so few humans that posses the courage and character of a 25 pound dog. Reflecting on the actions of the gallant Jack Russel Terrier, one can't help but wonder about his motivations.
What is it that caused this heroic creature to choose to stand between evil and innocence?
Was it inherent altruism and self sacrifice ?
Was it instinctive territorialism ?
Was it a form of divine intervention ?
In the end, does it really matter.
Somehow, this brave dog possessed the wherewithal to confront evil; and stand between an evil attacker and innocent children. In a dangerous world that contains numerous examples of organized and vicious marauding evils, why is it that there are so many that would retreat to safety and let the innocent and defenseless fend for themselves ? Why are so few able to recognize and confront evil?
Have we truly devolved into a species with less character, and courage than a Jack Russel Terrier?
One can't help but consider the 135,000 brave American soldiers, lead by one singularly determined President, who stand between a relentless evil and the innocent lives of Iraqi's, Americans, and Europeans alike. How long can one embattled President fight both an Islamic Fundamentalist threat, and a vicious domestic political assault, before he falls to one or the other.? Many, this writer included, have wondered, “What is Bush's end game?”: "What is his motivation?" It seems he's politically trapped with no escape. He's certain to be crushed by either of his relentless foes.
Perhaps our canine hero sheds some light on our Presidents “end game.” Perhaps his only goal is to buy time. To fight for as long as he can, as well as he can, hoping that the world wakes up to recognize the evil that is poised to destroy the innocent. Maybe, just maybe, if he can hold out just a bit longer, if he can dodge one more attack, occupy the enemy for just long enough – the good people of this country and the balance of the world, will find the will to confront and destroy the evil with which our President and soldiers are engaged. There is little doubt that this country, undivided, has the means to destroy the evil that our troops are fighting. The only question is whether or not we will summon the will to do so before our human heroes suffer the same fate as our canine hero.
For what it's worth, the name of our courageous canine hero was purposely omitted, believe it or not, his name was – George.