Chester Case's Rule of Engagement & Clear Debating (As I recall them) 5th Period Study Hall, Spring 1960

I had already completed all the required stuff,

plus my college prep stuff and all the shop classes

I could ever dream of taking. It was a hot Spring day

in Study Hall, Las Lomas 1960.

Mrs. Haskell, my counselor had already said

that with a B+ average for 4 years work,

I didn't have the grades to enter Berkeley directly.

So who cares? I'd start at JC and later blow

Berkeley's doors clean off their hinges.

OK, so I never made Paladians in 4 years,

I was a second string honor student/smartass,

but I had a '32 Ford coupe, a '50 Ford

and the only '36 running LaSalle on the planet

in the school parking lot with reversed rims.

I'm trying to remember Chester Case's

Rules of Engagement and Clear Debating.

I think they went like this:

1. Don't be an asshole.
2. Select your peers wisely.
3. Don't get caught up in your peers' vortex.
If they're not your peers, whose are they?
If not your vortex, whose?
4. If visiting the enemy's camp, don't piss in the well
unless you've already filled your canteen.
5. Sometimes you may have to sleep with one eye open.
6. There will always be a Ralph Nader siphoning off
3-4% of the vote, learn to deal with it.
7. If two guys named Cheney and Bush

show up in the future, RUN.They are not your peers.

Nor do they have your best interests in mind.
But they have theirs.
8. Don't be an asshole, see #1 above.
9. If "...the vandals took the handles," keep on truckin'.
10. Rules? Make 'em up as you go. Civilizations have

done that for years, and we're still NOT that civilized,

despite the media that does NOT give you ALL the news.

11. Talk to your enemies sometime, you'll be surprised

what you may learn. Some guy named Bush won't,

but watch where he ends up and what little he accomplishes.
12. Remember what little you learned here and continue

to learn something of value. Discard the baloney

unless served on rye with light mustard. MGD is good too.
13-28. Good luck.

©Peter Bray 9/5/08 All rights reserved

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