The Conservative Edge

This past Thursday (May 7) was Gary Cooper’s birthday. I mention this fact because Cooper was one of the great introverted actors in American history. Turner Classic Movies has a nice tribute to Cooper on its website. The TCM video, made in 1991, is narrated by Clint Eastwood.

It was appropriate for Eastwood to do the narration, since he is a self-confessed introvert. In addition, you can see some similarities between Eastwood and Cooper, in both acting styles and physical characteristics. Charlton Heston once said of Cooper that “If this wasn’t what the American man was, it was what he was supposed to be,” and I think we might be able to say the same for Eastwood.

I am writing about these actors because it seems that we don’t get to see their kind on the screen anymore. We used to at least grudgingly admire the rugged characters created by actors like Cooper, Eastwood, John Wayne, and others. We once respected the strong, silent individual who let his actions speak louder than his words. Masculinity was defined by characters like Rooster Cogburn, Dirty Harry, The Man With No Name, and even the Road Warrior. But today, masculinity is smothered by political correctness and feminism.

It might seem counter-intuitive to think that introverted actors could deliver such powerful performances on the big screen. After all, aren’t introverts supposed to be weak, quiet pushovers? Hardly. For one thing, it takes much more strength to be silent than it does to chatter on and on. I believe there is an ancient Eastern proverb that says “He who speaks does not know; he who knows does not speak.” This is the power of introversion. While many content themselves with incessant ramblings about the weather or shopping (think Tweeter), introverts are taking things in, and thinking deeply about ideas and big issues. Maybe introverts make better heroes. They are more willing to act, alone if necessary, as the idea or situation requires.

And now, I’m about to take a strange turn. You see, I’m reminded of someone who is seldom seen as a personality type. Many people read the New Testament, but how many try to imagine what kind of man Jesus Christ was? There was a live person who spoke the words recorded in the four Gospels, and He ate, cried, walked, slept, and breathed just like we do. But when many people say they “know” Jesus, I tend to think they are knowing their imaginary Jesus. My guess is that Jesus was an introvert. He was a man who acted alone when He had to. He spoke from His understanding of principles and ideas. He was a big thinker. But, He was also a very private person, and preferred to associate with a chosen few. He ultimately—tragically—faced death alone, because of what He believed in, and what He saw in us.

He made a pretty good hero, I’d say.

I was walking out of the bookstore the other day, when I heard a couple of fellows talking about the need to be outside the building to grab a quick smoke. You see, here in Ohio, you can’t smoke in public—no smoking in restaurants, bars, bookstores, even private clubs like VFWs. I’m pretty sure we can’t smoke in stadiums and athletic fields either.

Not too long ago, there was a statewide issue on the ballot to prohibit smoking in public places. Certain private clubs, like the aforementioned VFWs, were thought to be excluded, but it turns out they weren’t. Complicating things further, the issue was to become part of the state constitution, the same way that Prohibition was made part of the national Constitution. The voters in Ohio approved the ban by a fairly wide margin. The anti-smokers were victorious!

Anyway, I did stop to chat for a few moments with the man who was trying to enjoy his cigarette outside the bookstore. He felt, as most smokers do, that he was being treated like a criminal just for lighting up. I mentioned the fact that tobacco products are still legally sold in Ohio, and it seemed ridiculous that a legal product could be banned from public use. He agreed, and added that “they” keep takings things away from us a little at a time.

Just who are “they”, and why do “they” keep deciding what is good and what is bad for we, the people? It seems terribly illogical to keep selling tobacco products, but not give tobacco users a place to enjoy them. After all, if people are going to pay the taxes levied on tobacco, they should have more of a say on where they can smoke. It would be like paying gasoline taxes, but only being permitted to drive in your own yard. One can only wonder when we won’t be allowed to smoke in the car; indeed, there is talk of legislation to prohibit smoking in state parks and nature reserves. How far will it go?

“They” think we need to be protected from our own stupidity. Our health is at stake “they” say, the dangers of secondhand smoke too great to ignore. However, I just read in my local newspaper that about 60 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer never smoked. 60 percent! I have a hard time believing that secondhand smoke exposure is the cause of 60 percent of all lung cancers. The gentleman I spoke with at the bookstore said he had an aunt who was a clean-living Christian woman, yet died from lung cancer even though she never smoked tobacco or drank alcohol. And yet, there are people who smoke and do not develop lung cancer. Winston Churchill, for example, smoked cigars regularly and lived to be more than 90 years of age.

I do not smoke cigarettes, and I am not encouraging anyone to do so. But it just seems that we’ve allowed ourselves to be whipped and manipulated into giving up many of the things we actually like to do. Who has more right—the person who chooses not to smoke, or the person who chooses to use tobacco? Many people adamantly defend the rights of women to choose abortions (regardless of the consequences), but would they give equal defense to the rights of those who opt to smoke?

Pretty soon, we’re all going to be like the boy in the plastic bubble (remember the John Travolta movie?) We won’t be allowed to do anything that “they” deem harmful to us. All decisions will be made for us. My own thought is that our world is becoming more gender-neutral, or more feminine if you pay attention to movie and TV programming. Smoking used to be a symbol of masculinity, but our society hates genuine male influence and leadership. It’s why you don’t see many Westerns anymore, because they centered around strong, tough, independent men like Rooster Cogburn and The Man With No Name. Come on—didn’t Clint Eastwood look cool with those thin little cigars he smoked? He’s 78 and still going strong. Need I say more?