Teddy Roosevelt was a Bad-Ass

Just before he was to deliver a campaign speech, an “anarchist” stepped up to Col. Roosevelt and shot him in the chest at close range. His assailant was subdued and disarmed, not by a squad of Secret Service agents with Uzis, but by a single unarmed man: Roosevelt’s stenographer. The bullet had passed through the manuscript of Roosevelt’s speech and, thereby, had lost some if its energy, and so did not penetrate very far into the chest. Roosevelt proceeded to deliver his speech, while a red stain gradually spread over his white vest, until he collapsed and was taken to the hospital.

Sometimes I can’t help suspect that each generation becomes in many ways more feeble than the last. It’s pretty hard to imagine a scene like this being played out today.

I notice that the term “bad-ass” has become popular. I propose that those considering using this term adopt Teddy Roosevelt as the standard: if you can’t seriously imagine the perpetrator of what you consider bad-assery living up to this supreme example, then I respectfully suggest that you employ a more measured term of admiration.