Operational Insecurity: Dad's Story About Asking His Father Questions

By Ursula Curiosa

First draft written on May 11, 2022

Published July 10, 2022

"Operational Insecurity: Dad's Story About Asking His Father Questions"

A conversation with my Dad sparked me to write this reflective warning to my Beloved Readers and Listeners. It took place in the evening in Spring 2022 at his home, which lies just to the North of Boonville, Indiana.

Dad has always taken moments out of his life to explain things to me. I appreciate it immensely, especially after he told me a story a few weeks ago about his father: “Dad was real sweet with me when I was little, until I started to ask, 'Why?'”

Perhaps my non-stop analysis tires Dad. He respects me when I ask him, “Why?” With me, Dad broke the cycle of abuse and has NEVER beaten the living shit out of the backs of my legs with a switch for asking, “Why?” Dad does his best to answer me.

Such engagement encourages me to keep asking, “Why?” Dad nurtures my curious spirit, which is curious in many ways. My curiosity hungers for theory and explanation and action. And so, Dad's intense curiosity has infused into my world. He spots quality from far away by looking for it in his surroundings, perhaps near “my cabin at the edge of the woods,” as he describes his home.

The action part is why I write this essay today and will edit it down and polish it in the near future. I will then publish it after my parents die, or perhaps while they still live, if I'm feeling frisky. The reason that I want to propagate this nugget of a reflection in the ether and into the future is so that my Opa's brutality can serve the prosocial purpose of encouraging my Readers and their Comrades to keep asking, “Why?”

Lack of good-faith discussions of questions about motivation, targets, tactics, strategies, etc. dooms any effort towards justice and knowledge of self. Dad and all other Seekers of Wisdom will be vindicated sooner or later, though perhaps only in death. Let's be curious.

Asking this key question demands an answer beyond retaliatory physical, social, and/or psychological punishment. The Movement should keep this in mind.

When people fancying themselves to be leaders withhold explanation of a critique, sometimes that's for security purposes and it can quite often be hidden away with that justification—damn near always, in fact.

If that offends you, this essay was written for you, Comrade.