The Native Iowan

My mother was a huge fan of “All Star” Wrestling, “Pro” Wrestling, WWF/ WWE…

How many of the stars pictured below can you name?

Mom was fanatical… had her favorites, her despised. The white-hats, the heels… Knew all about them…

In the way-back days of the 60s and B-W television, I was weaned on it all, on the local TV stations broadcasting from Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Ronny Etcheson, Danny Little Bear, the Viking, Bob Brown, the British Bull Dog. Andre the Giant came to town a couple times a year.

There was a group of us kids that were very much “into” The Rassling scene.

Every once in a long while, one of our dads would take us to “the city”, Waterloo or Cedar Rapids, to see a live show. I have seen Andre more than once, and patted him on his sweaty back a time or two.

Why am I thinking about, writing about Pro Wrestling, I hear you ask…

My mother never ever ever ever ever believed the wrestling she watched, the rassling she watched, was not 100% “real”. Even after some Stars wrote books, told all, even after TV grew and we got cable and reality shows, Mom never believed IT WAS NOT true and factual. She’d argue you into submission.

Even when we spoke openly, discussed facts like “a 300pound man jumping from a 4foot height, landing on another man’s sternum would crush the chest, drive the sternum through the spine”, and make a huge mess…

Mom never bought it. Ever…

We (the large extended family) made fun of mom and her die-hard belief in Rassling… A good present for her would be an Andre action figure. Jake-the-Snake Roberts was her most favourite. She had a few actions figure that were “Her’s”. She even had a mask she’d gotten somewhere. She’d put it on and make growling sounds and make us laugh.

My brother once bought mom ringside seats to see Jake, and his snake. It made her very happy and gave her something to talk about for a year or more.

I now see that my Mother’s inability to NOT see the truth about ProRassling, as a mental illness. A self delusion, a self inflicted wound of sorts, refusing to see the reality, preferring instead to see her chosen reality. I’ll call it a ProRassling derangement. She was delusional when it came to rassliing…

So many folks I know, so many folks close to me, dear to me, so, so many folks all round are suffering from a mental affliction called “Trump Derangement Syndrome”.

Seriously, sadly… It’s not healthy.

Mom believing that rassling was real did no harm. Not so with the TDS afflicted…

All the nasty never never ever Trump memes are insidious, infectious, dangerous. You are carrying a message from the dark side of mass derangement. It aint healthy…

We listen to millionaire socialists that rail against the rich, but are happy to be dining at the high-table. We believe the talking-heads that lie to us daily. We sit back as our elected officials convince us Trump is evil and bad… as they stick their hands in your pockets.

Even after the majority who voted said they wanted Trump over the DNC, even after Trump takes office and the world does not end, Whoopee Goldberg is not arrested, Social Security still going… we carry on with the toxic rhetoric.

Kinda scary… so many smart folks delusional. By choice.

more later

smiles