Mad about a salad?

Tyrant: 1 a: an absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution b: a usurper of sovereignty2 a: a ruler who exercises absolute power oppressively or brutally b: one resembling an oppressive ruler in the harsh use of authority or power

Coming home for me is normally euphoric. There isn't much to do in the little town of Troy, but it doesn't much matter. I am completely content in going to pick up my little brother from football, watch TV with Mackenzie, or go on a five mile walk with my mom. I don't need to be entertained, because I'm home. I don't need to see people, because I am with my family. I love it, and there is very little around that can kill my buzz.

However, there is ONE thing that inevitably buries under my skin and makes me absolutely furious. My home is currently housing a tyrant (see above definition). Mostly this tyrant goes in and out of the house, saying little to anybody, leaving a small disaster behind him but for all intensive purposes - he leaves the rest of the family alone. No one contests what he does. No one speaks to him and he doesn't speak to us. He brings in his little posse in and out of the house, sometimes they stay the night (last night they were up making all sorts of ruckus until the early hours of the morning) without any care of who they are imposing upon. The tyrant lives unrestrained and free to do whatever he pleases.

Run-ins in the past with said tyrant are what have kept me from moving back home in certain points in my life; they are also cause for stress between my relationship with other members of the family, because, unlike them, I am unable to sit and watch the tornado tyrant blow through leaving all sorts of destruction and NOT say anything.

Am I in the wrong? Probably. We all understand that contention is of the devil...that we are supposed to turn the other cheek. That peace comes only through acting with peace. But when is enough, enough? Why do we have to lie down and take it? Why do we? Why can't we stick up for ourselves and take care of the tyrant? Shouldn't we be able to live our lives without fear of the wrath of the tyrant? I think that we should be able to say something without fear of retribution, without fear of retaliation. I believe that we should be able to put a $16 salad in the fridge and know that it will be there the next day. I think that a parent should have control as to whether there house is being used as a half-way house for delinquents running the streets, or not. Why do we sit and take it?

The American Revolution was fought because the colonists were sick of being mistreated by a motherland country that was thousands of miles away, across the ocean. The French Revolution was fought because peasants were abused by the aristocrats within their country. Civil wars and revolutions have been fought for years and in countries all over the world because the people were no longer to just "take it." They finally stood up for themselves and said, "NO MORE!" And I say, we declare our own rebellion against the tyrant of 21 S Monroe. Why should he be able to maintain power?

The Battle Cry of Freedom

George F. Root

Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom,
We will rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll fill our vacant ranks with a million free men more,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll hurl the rebel [boy] from the land we love best,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
CHORUS:
The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah!
Down with the [tyrant], up with the stars;
While we rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

I will fight for justice and peace!

Or, maybe, I'll be more like the pilgrims and immigrate away from the injustice. I'll just go back to Utah and let 21 S Monroe take care of their own tyrant.

“The only tyrant I accept in this world is the 'still small voice' within”
-GHANDI