Our Lives Mattereth

by

John J. Dunphy

I originally posted this as a Facebook status update back in 2015. I think it’s funny and deserves to be reintroduced.

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This post was inspired by being called a “white man of a certain age” by a transwoman and by the teacher who believes Shakespeare has no place in today’s classroom because we shouldn’t “cling to ONE (white) MAN’S view of life.” With profound apologies to the Bard, I now make this statement:

“Certain elements of contemporary American society revileth me because I’m an older white heterosexual who was born a man. Hath not an older white heterosexual who was born a man eyes? Hath not an older white heterosexual who was born a man hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? Our lives are not a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury that signifieth nothing. Our lives mattereth!”

4/20/20 note: And please keep in mind that the above post was written well before Millennials launched their “Now, Boomer!” campaign and began castigating us for ruining the world they will soon inherit. Old age is no place for wimps and wusses these days!

John J. Dunphy is a writer, poet and book shop owner.