ATTACK: intransitive verb; To set upon with violent force.

MODE: noun; A manner, way or method of doing something.

Let’s face it, America and Americans have been under attack from the very beginning; The Boston Massacre 1770, The Shot Heard Round the World 1775…up to today’s Middle East events which has put us on high alert and looking over our shoulders for the next one.

What events, large and small, have occurred between then and now? Here is just a partial list:

Lexington and Concord, a boat-ride across the Potomac, Burning down Washington D.C., Fort Sumter, Shiloh, Gettysburg, the Alamo, San Juan Hill, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, Hiroshima, Oklahoma City, 9-11, Ukraine and October 7 and Gaza….

We are known to ‘celebrate’ certain events, true and fictional, with Artistic Expressions:

Photos and Paintings; Little Big Horn, the flag over Iwo Jima, a car ride in Dallas…the Twin Towers.

Movies; Attack of the 50 foot Woman, Mars Attacks…The War of the World.

Sculpture; especially STATUES…

With such a rich history behind us is it any surprise that the current political contest consists mainly of a series of attacks? And ALL parties seem to be following ‘The Best Defense is an Offense.’

With the current Administration struggling to find something to brag about it has adopted Attack Mode as a tactic…similar to the way it attacked Trump from day one. And the candidates’ speeches on the campaign trail?…Attack, Attack, Attack! Keep the spotlight OFF everything else; just ATTACK!

In all fairness, who else ATTACKS all the time? Especially if you are dis-loyal or disagree. Does it look like someone going ‘tooth and nail’ against his enemies?

Yes, you might say the WHOLE WORLD is in ‘Attack Mode’ right now. Vlad Putin got things going in Crimea facing Obama/Biden, then backed off facing Trump/Pence only to kickstart things again facing Biden/Harris.

We hear those sabers rattling in China, N. Korea, Iran and pretty much here, there and everywhere.

The World is NOT now at peace…it seems that it never was either. But now, deep into the Atomic Age we have a PLAN! Let’s build some more…more powerful at that! Stockpile…you never know when you are going to need them!

So now, ALL we have to worry about is this: WHO will be the next one to go on “ATTACK MODE?”

Richard Phillips

New Iberia