Soap Box

To hug or not to hug, that is the question, 
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous television coverage
Or to take arms from around the offended
And fade into this good night. 

Apologies to William Shakespeare.

I am not here to defame or defend Joe Biden, we live on opposite sides of the political planet and I disagree with most of what he says and the governing philosophies he stands for.

Having said that, I do not believe that the man is a pervert, and as one who comes from a generation and era when hugging was as much a part of greeting someone as saying hello, I would be remiss if I didn’t try to present a different point of view.

I am still inclined to hug people - and do so frequently - it is a big part of my family, who we are and how we feel about each other.

Our son is 53 years old and he still hugs Hazel and myself when he comes in and when he leaves.

I hug my employees if I haven’t seen them for a while, and the same goes for most of my friends.

Now I understand that when you get outside family and friends just walking up hugging somebody gets a little dicey, and even though done with the best of intentions can be construed, at least by females, as forward and invasive.

But I have ladies in the autograph line sometimes who ask for a hug, or want to have a picture made in an innocent arm around the shoulder pose and I’m always ready to oblige.

In some cases, I think hugs are healing, comforting and can express empathy much better than platitudes or the standard, worn out phrases we all tend to use in times of trying to give solace to those under stress.

I can’t speak for Uncle Joe, but hugging is an ingrained part of my personality, I come from an affectionate family and was born at a time when a chaste physical show of affection was a part of every family get together or chance meeting of friends and before the politically correct police tried to make something dirty or sinister out of so many decent, platonic gestures.

Nancy Pelosi has let it be known that she is a “straight arm” person who wants nobody closer than an arm’s length and to act in a demeanor as if they both had a cold and should stay a safe distance apart.

She has a perfect right to demand this, to protect the area around her from being invaded to discourage any show of affection and view it as a covert invasion of her space.

But as for me, I think it’s a cold unapproachable way to live and I’d hate to think that when I see a disabled veteran that I couldn’t put an arm around his shoulder and thank him for risking his life to protect mine.

I would shudder at the thought that I would ever attend the funeral of a friend and not be allowed to show my sympathy with a good hug for family members.

I’d rue the day when I would have to congratulate an excited award winner with a simple "congratulations".

So, while I don’t sniff hair or give massages or plant a big ol' smack on the mouth of a stranger or whisper in ears or hold faces, I strongly defend the hug, think the world needs a lot more of them, Joe Biden notwithstanding.

You should try it sometime, Ms. Pelosi.

Beats the heck out of having to act like you’ve got a cold all the time.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

— Charlie Daniels

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Check out "Mexico Again" from Beau Weevils - 'Songs in the Key of E'