Roughshod
In Search of a Wisewoman
As we move further and further away from our agricultural roots and understanding history the term “to ride roughshod’ is not as common in our dialogue, but its meaning is current. The term roughshod originated in the 17thC as it literally referred to horseshoes with protruding nails or calks for traction on ice, the prequel to our studded tires. The term became a metaphor in the 1800’s for acting with brutal disregard for others, bullying and destructive behavior; to act in a manner that is inconsiderate, oppressive and heavy handed; to disregard another’s feelings or rights.
The global community is aghast that one with access to the nuclear codes is disregarding the foundations of their democracy, the very checks and balances established by their lauded and educated founding fathers. A country that removed all loyalty to any monarchy now is seeing “The Divine Right of Kings” a 16th-17th C European political and religious doctrine asserting that a monarch’s authority comes directly from God, not from parliament or the people, enacted by a godless cretin with a sharpie who posts on a social media platform of his making and who is using the very peace of the planet for his smoke and mirrors to detract from his moral bankruptcy, his utter incompetence and his debt to those who manipulate him from behind the scenes.
If I had the skill of a novelist I would construct a plot about a poor child with immense potential either to lead or to solve the greatest of the planet’s threats to die because of lack of health care in a country that rides roughshod over their rank and file while only the wealthy or those funded by the wealthy achieve power.