OP/ED - Ruben Derangement Syndrome?

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- I received an email last Wednesday from a Mr. Federico Honez (a White guy who I have identified as Hispanic), written in response to my OP/ED last week “Was the Sacrifice Worth It.” In the column I argued that President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 Presidential Election was worth the sacrifice for his win in 2024. I pointed out that it was a seachange that was brought about by the loss of effective control of the leftist media, Hollywood celebrities and RINO influences. There were plenty of other things as well in the column, but Mr. Honez, who shall remain anonymous, chose to take offense. If dueling were still allowed, I’m sure that Honez would have ‘demanded satisfaction,’ and I would have accepted since the marksmanship skills of Democrat supporters are not that good past twenty paces. But they are still OK at five paces in a cowardly stance, using a silencer, with the victim CEO's back turned towards you.

I am sent emails all the time. Most are supportive, but I get my fair share of ‘Go to Hell’s’ and ‘Idiot’s,’ along with a few ‘*-hole’s,’ but this email was different. It actually had sentences. Clearly, Mr. Honez, was one of those (gosh, I’m hoping I’m using the right plural demonstrative pronoun) people, who have been harboring feelings of Trump Derangement Syndrome, and now Federico has chosen to express his disgust for my thoughts. Yes, towards … ‘little ‘ol moi.’

“Just read your article and wanted you to know my thoughts,” wrote Honez. It started out harmless enough. I had made the decision not to use my usual deterrent. “This column may upset some. And quite frankly, I don’t care about Democrats feelings, but it needed to be written,” that my friend Mr. Don Tucker, considered an apology to my left of center readers. Don’s wife Blanche was a beloved fan, and I miss her, but Don was right, and the apology needed to go. It was the next sentence that started to fill my mind with Federico’s aversion for my thoughts. “You, like trump, are a liar!!!!” screamed Honez through his mouse-click. My initial thought. Honez didn’t Capitalize ‘Trump,’ which clearly shows a healthy repugnance for 45-47, and probably needs to be explored as a possible symptom for TDS. FH definitely doesn't want to acknowledge President ‘T’rump as a person, which is his right too, but what else in Federico’s life is he disassociating reality from? Is he an only child? Did he have bad potty training experience? Did he not receive lessons in cutting his meat? Was he ever told, ‘No?’ Who knows? But I was taught by my mentor that Democrats strive to work against their own self-interest, by supporting candidates that vote for policies that make their lives much worse than better. Take for instance, California (which had 55 electoral votes, now has 54). It’s a one-party blue state that Kamala Harris won by a convertible margin, but has a governor and legislature that continually make living conditions in the state more and more intolerable for its middle and lower classes. You wanna know why Texas home prices are so high. It’s people from terrible Democrat states moving to Our Fair Land, because of worthless Democrat policies in their original states.

“Signs of TDS can be observed along a continuum of reactions, ranging from verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Trump to overt acts of aggression and even violence against anyone supporting or anything symbolizing him,” wrote Alex Pattakos, PhD., from his Psychology Today piece. ‘The Paradox of ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’ of September 5th.

Honez did call me ‘a liar,’ which being mentioned in the same breath as Trump, I considered a badge of honor. And quite honestly, I take no offense at what Honez said, since I can dish it out as well as take it. But it was his next sentence that took me for a loop, “All of the article is based on lies.” Whoa!! I stopped in my tracks. I almost felt like the Tennesseans, in that San Antonio cantina before The Alamo battle, being threatened with chastisement even unto death by Santa Anna. Imagine me, Ruben … a liar? Why I’m like George Washington, I’ve never told a lie. lol. Does chastise mean what I think It do? It do!

“If you actually believe what you wrote, I feel sorry for you,” continued Honez abhorrently. Of course I believe what I wrote Federico, or I wouldn’t put my name out there week after week, and peoples’ lives would be even more boring than they already are? Did I not invoke your ire Honez? Did I not raise your low blood pressure with the invocation of healthy discourse between us? Federico continued, “If you actually know the truth and are simply playing to your perception of your readers you have no ethics.” Oh come on, Honez? I’m confronted with ethical decisions all the time, and on occasion it makes some people mad. I made a moral decision recently in which I didn’t like a performance in which children were present. It wasn’t about drag queen story hour, but I loathed the things I saw in the production that I felt were a grooming aid to little children, and I felt it was a benefit to society to shoot a shot across their bow of the organizers, to make them aware of being sensible in protecting children’s innocence. Of course they complained, and it was the only negative review I’ve issued this year.

I see Honez as what I’ve previously described on this page, a multi-degreed professional living in an echochamber of leftist thought. Federico allows for no balanced thought in his ideological thinking. It’s Honezes way or the highway, which makes leftist like him so predictable. No doubt Feddy was that older child who always changed the rules of the game in progress when we were kids. You know, so us younger kids could lose all the time. Now those older kids are on the losing side, and they are reeling from the rejection. No one wants to listen to Feddy Honez and his crowd or abide by their rules anymore.

Lastly, Honez wrote that he was ashamed of MCN and their association with me. It was as if Honez has ‘Ruben Derangement Syndrome.’ I’m sure I’ll be the topic of conversation at the next meeting with his therapist, who is raking it in ‘btw,’ after Kamala Harris’ election loss, feeling the pain of her voters.

I was perplexed after reading Honezes’ ramblings. The cure for RDS is common sense. I wrote back, “Federico: Can you give me an example of your disgust for my thoughts?”

Honez wrote back defiantly, “YES, I WILL!!!!”

I waited. Patiently in fact. For four minutes. Nothing. So I sent a note.

“Oh, you can't do that now. I'll give you 24 hours to formulate your disgust. If you need any research assistance, let me know.”

Feddy wrote back, again defiantly, “I WON’T NEED THAT LONG!”

9:30 hours later, Honez responded. I was expecting a point-counterpoint type response to his argument with appropriate references to back up his assertions. Here is what I received from Federico, bad grammar and all.

“You begin with ‘sacrifice.’ There was no sacrifice, there was an election, that Joe Biden Won and was affirmed by at least sixty judges; many appointed by trump. (Notice how he capitalized ‘Joe Biden Won.’)

You call Pence (cap) and others rinos for upholding their oath to the constitution (no cap on The Constitution.)

No mention of drinking bleach or the attack on our capital that caused death and injury.

What are these American Ideals and Values that you claim for yourself.

Donald Trump (he forgot to de-cap) won this election and I hope that it is good for our nation and the world; but i am worried about both.

We are one people that needs to come together with honesty and humility; not lies and hate.

That sir is my opinion.”

Gobbledygook. Opinions are like *-holes, everyone has got one.

If Honez is not a leftist, then he is a Cheney Republican In Name Only. And if Feddy would have read me more, he would know my ideals and values for America: Lowers Taxes, Smaller Government and less intrusion in our lives, Strong 2A, Right to Life, Social Conservatism, a Market Driven Private Sector Economy, Student Expectations in our Schools with School-Choice, have Medical Insurance Choice across State Lines to promote competition, a Strong Border with a Self-Supporting Immigration System, Strong Military, and there are tons more. Anything common sense, that benefits America I’m pretty much for.

Honez believes that Republicans are the problem, and my side should acquiesce to his. Sorry, ain’t gonna happen. The January 6th Conspiracy was not GOP driven, but made by the hands of Nancy Pelosi. Just look at the House hearings on the subject. And if Joe Biden won 2020 fair and square, Freddy has another thing coming. Then where are 15 million less votes this time? I can’t go about life with a permanent hate built into my persona, loathing everyone who disagrees with me. I’ve simply not enough energy to keep up the intensity, besides I’ve got better things to do. I wish Federico Honez the best in life. I hope he turns off MSNBC and CNN, as well as social media, for I think it will bring peace into his life. Of course, keep MCN in your life, and continue to read me. For me, as I modestly say, I am the cure to all derangement syndromes, Trump’s and Ruben’s.

Psychology Today piece: psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-meaningful-life/202409/the-paradox-of-trump-derangement-syndrome

Original Column: Was the Sacrifice Worth It? https://www.conroetoday.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=10515

Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net