Wanted Dead Or Alive

One of my all time favorite Western shows.

Recently, my daughter and I have been watching it again, as well as the James Bond Series and what else but Danger Man/Secret Agent and The Prisoner.

Anyhow, there was a particular ep of Wanted that struck a chord.

Josh Randall (Steve McQueen's role), the bounty hunter comes into a town looking for stolen Army horses.

He happens on the thief who is behind bars. The guy pleads for Randall to help him.

All seems quiet, too quiet. Actually, it's run by a Marshal who rules with an iron hand.

He was brought there ostensibly to clean the town up. It apparently had been raucous and lawless. The citizens, passing the buck, hired this moke.

He clened it up and cleaned it out. No one was to wear a gun within the town limits. There was to be no consumption of liquor except at the local bar the owner of which had a deal for this exclusivity at the price of a cut of course.

Josh tries to get the leaders such as they are to fire the Marshal. They try but he and his bully boys (Brown Shirts?) kill one of the town council and declare a curfew immediately.

Josh organizes a revolt and they get the upper hand, Josh killing the Marshal in a gunfight.

Randall tells the moke he doesn't want to kill him,though he has the drop on the Marshal.

The moke's response was to say either he would kill Josh or Josh would kill the Marshal. Of course Randall shoots him dead, freeing the town.

In the aftermath, the grateful townsfolk want Josh to be the new Marshal. He did most of the work ridding them of the previous guy. And I noted these townies still were not wearing guns even when they had gotten them back.

Josh refused, leaving them to whatever fate they decided for themselves.

What can I say? The analogy is obvious. It's just like the attitude of many today.

Let the other guy do it. We have cops and military supposedly qualified to protect us. Many have forgotten just as the townie shad , that the resposibility is in their hands, in spite of the fact many were 'family men'. That was a prime excuse on the show when action needed to be taken.

Good God! I'm a father. My responsibility, though the kids areone grown and the other nearly, is to protect and teach them to protect themselves.

Well to those who buy protection I say get out of the frakking way. Leave me to do my part. And by God, don't you dare try to disarm me.

The rest is obvious to real men and women who know we must take up the security of ourselves and band with others to secure it for the US.

They don't make shows like that anymore.

But we can show our kids the way.

And hey, get em to watch shows that are thought provoking. Boy did my girl lambast the townies, realizing the situation as it has devolved.

For those who choose to go unarmed and not defend themselves, they have chosen their path. Good luck.