We’re living in some crazy times, with a “president” who calls people names.

When you were a little kid did you ever hear, “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me?” Well, the kid in the White House loves to call people names and the sticks and stones that can incinerate my bones are rockets and nuclear weapons.

We haven’t been so close to wide spread annihilation since I was in elementary school and we had “air raid” drills. A frightening whistle would blow and we had to curl up under our desks as our teacher assured us it was just a drill.

Ironically, it was the Russians we were afraid of at the time, and now the Russians seem to be best buddies with a lot of folks running the country. With riots in the streets, video of North Koreans in funny hats laughing as they admire bombs and natural disasters putting countless Americans out of their homes, here are some things that just aren’t all that important.

“WALK OFF” WIN FOR UVA, MAYOR

For one, Salem Mayor Randy Foley being arrested for public intoxication while walking home from watching a football game with friends. Give me a break.

As many of you know Foley played football for UVA back in the day. The program hasn’t been real successful in recent years, but last Friday they pulled off a huge upset over Boise State. Foley was watching the game with friends, and I can guess who they might be but there’s no need to bring other names into this.

As is the case with many, our mayor was enjoying some alcoholic beverages while watching the game. When he decided to head home, very late at night, he could have made a very bad decision and tried to drive. Instead, he made the good decision to walk home. Only thing is, that decision turned up on the Roanoke Times website on Tuesday morning, as he was stopped on his way home while crossing the Roanoke College campus.

It was 2:30 at night and he was walking home. Why couldn’t they have just let him walk home and get a good night’s sleep? And, if it had been any other Tom, Dick or Harry, this would have been a note in the weekly police report and nothing else. But, because Randy is the Mayor of Salem, apparently it’s news.

Foley was quoted as being embarrassed, but he shouldn’t be.  Congratulations for making the right move and walking home.

Every year, on alumni weekend, I have someone drop me off at Mac & Bob’s on Friday or Saturday night and I walk home when I’m done, because it’s about the only time all year I have enough to drink that it would matter. I could easily be detained as I weave up the sidewalk on Craig Avenue that one time a year, but it’s better than getting in my car.

Here’s what I say to Mayor Foley. Walk a little faster next time and “Wahoo Wah!”

ANOTHER DOGGONE THING

As I made my way through the crowd to the Virginia Tech football game last Saturday I came across a group of women quartered off behind one of those plastic orange fences held up by metal rods. They were holding up signs with pictures of dogs on them and “Michael Vick, Executioner” and other nasty names written below.

As you probably know, Vick was inducted into the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame last weekend. As you also know, he once served time in jail for promoting and participating in dog fighting.

Vick is, by far, the most acclaimed athlete ever to play for Virginia Tech, thanks to Seth Greenberg not giving Stephen Curry a scholarship. He’s one of the main reasons the Tech program is what it is today. Not the only one, for sure, but the most notable. At one time, he was the Michael Jordan of football.

Vick almost lost his NFL career when he was arrested for dog fighting and went to jail. He admitted his crime, served his time and worked his way back to a place of good standing among most of us.

I’m not saying what he did was good, far from it. However, consider the circumstances he grew up in, where this was a normal thing. AND, these weren’t children’s pets involved in the crime. They were bred and trained for fighting, same as some folks do with chickens. Of course, we eat chickens so that makes it okay.

Where is the outcry for horse racing? Many race horses are bred to win big purses that go into the deep pockets of their owners. They claim to be horse lovers, but I’ve read about how hard they train them, and if they break a leg they’re “executed.” Are there protesters behind an orange plastic fence at the Kentucky Derby? Maybe, but I’ve never heard about it.

Michael Vick didn’t beat women, like others who get off with a short suspension from the game. He paid for his crime in prison, never made excuses and has gone far and above what was required, both legally and morally, to atone for his sins.

Let the person who is perfect in every way cast the first stone at Vick as he accepts his well-deserved Hall of Fame plaque.

FINALLY, THESE NFL PROTESTERS

I’ve been asked once, twice or 50 times about what I think of these NFL protesters. Well, here’s my take.

Personally, I would always stand for the anthem with hat, or hand, over my heart. I’ve never considered doing anything else. In fact, when I go to high school games and I see students wearing hats or talking and laughing during the anthem, it really bothers me.

As for the NFL protesters, I don’t agree with how they’ve gone about it but I have no doubt it’s their right to do so. It just isn’t for me.

Or, I might say, “wasn’t” for me. It wasn’t all that big a deal until our president started more of his name calling, at which point it became a big deal.

And, as I mentioned, with North Korea and terrorists and the Hurricanes and the KKK rallies and stuff that really matters, doesn’t our president have more to do than calling football players names?

I would hope so.