Many of the decisions being made today are responsible for the deaths of many Americans and other innocents around the world. Iraq and New Orleans are glaring examples, but lowering emissions standards for mercury as well as a plethora of other decisions will result in the injury and death of many others across the country and the world. These government policies violate the most basic rules of society and seemingly there is very little anyone can do about it. Modern society is at a crossroads. Do we continue to kill many who do not even see it coming or do we actually start letting our leaders take real responsibility for their actions.
Sometimes the only way to enforce the rules of society is through violence. Politics has always been a rough business, yet there used to be the risk of serious repercussions if you stepped over the line. Duke Cunningham may be doing 10 years and Delay may be looking a stint in the pen, but they both are going to live. Until just after the Civil War, the duel was one way for politicians, journalists, and pretenders to the American aristocracy to settle their differences. It was a very real way to make sure that certain standards of behavior were adhered to by everyone. Not to mention, it culled some of the more aggressive politicians from the herd.
The first formal code of dueling was put together by Irishmen in 1777. The Code Duello were 26 rules that governed how a duel would be conducted. The typical 19th century duel would proceed as follows: Politician B, through surragates would accuse Politician K of wounding himslef to get a combat medal. Politican K, through a second, would write Politican B and demand an apology and public retraction. Politian B, through a second, would insult Politician K and tell him to go frag himself. Politician K would challenge Politician B to a duel. They would meet at dawn and since Politician B used family ties to avoid military service while Politician K served in combat, Politician B would lose on the first shot with a bullet between in his noggin. If the for some reason, the first shot didn't do the trick, the Code Duello would be used determine how and if the duel would continue.
Now, this is where most folks get a surprise about dueling. Duels were not decided with the first shot. After the first shot, the seconds would ask for the appropriate apologies to make things right. If they could not negotiate a settlement, the combatants would fire again. This would continue until one of the duelists was unable to continue shooting from a standing position or was killed. A great example was cited during a PBS special on dueling:
In an 1802 duel, DeWitt Clinton was challenged by John Swartwout, a friend of Aaron Burr. Swartwout accused Clinton of trying to ruin Burr with political smears. The men exchanged five rounds. After each round, as the code provided, seconds encouraged the combatants to mend their differences. Clinton adamantly refused to sign a letter of apology. Swartwout, despite being shot in the thigh and ankle, refused to quit. Unwilling to continue shooting at a wounded man, an exasperated Clinton left the field. Surgeons standing at the ready tended Swartwout's wounds.
When Zell Miller opined about dueling Chris Matthews in 2004, I thought he was crazy. Yet the more I watch modern politicians and journalist go about their business, I coming to think it may not such a bad idea. Think about it. If Chris Matthews and Zell Miller did duel, would America benefit? Regardless of who won, I would have to say yes.
There are other potential benefits to bringing back the duel. We could televise the duels on PPV and use the revenues to pay down the debt. We could have it paid off in three or four years. I gaurantee you the action in Vegas would be huge around the duels. The cross promotional opportunities are incrediable. How about a Michael Moore/ Anne Coulter show down. The numbers would be huge.
It's barbaric, but I've always been a proponent of the right people being killed. As a society, we've strayed from this dramatically. Saddam Hussein and his Vice President challenged Bush and Cheney to a duel before the Iraq War began. It would have saved everyone a lot of trouble if they would have had the balls to accept. The whole world would have won.
