The Laughing Wolf: A Note Of Explanation

February 28, 2004

A Note Of Explanation

Today’s Way of The Wolf came about for several reasons, but the real driver was this post by Cardinal Puppilieu. I am not sure what it says about me as a writer and a reader that the name Naomi Wolf did not ring any bells. What does matter is that I can be pretty sure I will not bother to read her, and the words I have for her are far from pleasant.

The others mentioned in the link do a wonderful job taking apart this arrant nonsense being spouted. Quite frankly, I am insulted and I think quite a few others are as well. To call herself a victim for what happened is absolutely vile and disgusting.

I have written about this more than I care for, but let me share an experience with you. Take, if you will, a 12-year-old boy who has a man twice his size grab him from behind, place a hand over his mouth, and attempts to hold him still so he can grope him. Imagine that happening within 15 feet of the boy’s parents and friends. Imagine that person being someone trusted. That is an assault, and that is exactly what happened to me, C. Blake Powers.

I was lucky. The person was scared of a scene, and while I was as well (fragile is the ego of the adolescent male), I used that – and an elbow and heel – against him. I was not mauled further, but had I not fought back I would have been raped. In what was probably the first true adult decision of my life, I dealt with what happened in the immediate sense. I sent a message to this creature via a rifle and an open box of shells – something that all those who now seek to put riders on the gun manufacturers bill seek to deny to me and all future targets of assault. Message was received and well understood. While I had no part in it, that person is now also facing a much higher court than any on this mortal coil.

Note that I said target, and not victim. Like many others, I was a target for something vile, but I refuse to be its victim. Did this cause me problems? Yes, it did give me some things that had to be worked out, from learning the difference between a paedophile and a homosexual to some other odd bumps and kinks. Is everything worked out now? Who knows, and to a certain extent, who cares? It happened, I survived, and I do not let it rule my life. If something crops up from it or it in combination with many other things, then I will deal with it.

As I said, I was lucky. I have met people who were not, and have heard of many more. As far as I am concerned, Ms. Wolf needs a hard dose of reality, such as working at a rape center, or spending time helping the surviving targets of Saddam and his hellspawns. Her claim of soul destroying trauma is an insult to the victims of violent and forcible rape. It is a travesty to the men and women who have survived skin ripping, bone breaking, concussion-inducing domestic violence. It is a spit in the face of all those who were raped, tortured, and/or killed in Iraq and in other hell holes around the world.

I wish that the only soul-destroying trauma in my life was an unwanted pass. I wish it was the worst that anyone ever experienced, anywhere in this universe.