[Vision2020] Captain Bravado (Humor)

[Tom Hansen]

Captain Bravado

Long ago, there lived an officer of the Royal Navy named Captain Bravado. He
was a manly man's man, who showed no fear when facing his enemies. 

One day, while sailing the Seven Seas, his lookout spotted a pirate ship
approaching, and the crew became frantic. Captain Bravado bellowed, "Bring
me my red shirt!" 

The first mate quickly retrieved the captain's red shirt, and while wearing
the brightly colored frock, the Captain led his crew into battle and
defeated the pirates. 

That evening, all the men sat around on the deck recounting the day's
triumph. One of them asked the Captain, "Sir, why did you call for your red
shirt before battle?" 

The captain replied, "If I were to be wounded in the attack, the shirt would
not show my blood. Thus, you men would continue to fight, unafraid." All of
the men sat and marveled at the courage of such a manly man's man. 

As dawn came the next morning, the lookout spotted not one, not two, but TEN
pirate ships approaching. The crew stared in worshipful silence at the
captain and waited for his usual orders. Captain Bravado gazed with steely
eyes upon the vast armada arrayed against his ship, and without fear, turned
and calmly shouted, "Get me my brown pants!" 

Take care, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"While insisting on the pursuit of the great liberal values of tolerance,
equality, justice, and free discussion, liberals should join with
conservatives in supporting virtue formation in our families and character
education in our schools. The very survival of our nation depends on such an
alliance."

- From "Moscow as a City of Virtues" by Nick Gier (Professor Emeritus of
Philosophy at the University of Idaho)