We Don’t Need No Stinking Badges
I got it! I finally got it! Well, at least as it relates to me. I don’t need no stinking badge.
I was watching Blazing Saddles many years ago and one of my favorite scenes was the recruiting line when the prejudiced politician was trying to recruit people to attack the town, Rock Ridge. While the movie was full of and made fun of stereotypes, I loved the line offered by the sombrero-wearing militia, “Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges!”
The movie itself tackled racism and bigotry through humor and satire. But, the line that still resonates with me has a new meaning.
A badge is something usually worn with pride and honor. The badge also identifies who you are and your designation to complete certain tasks. In the eyes of many people, badges represent authority.
But authority is not a GOOD thing on it’s own. In the wrong hands, it can be weaponized in order to create false esteem and fake bravado for the shooter and a world of hurt for its targets. Authority can be used to create confusion as well as clarity.
Some years ago, a “friend” of mine became a police officer. Upon graduating and receiving his badge, he became a terror. He aggressively pulled over everyone he could and decided it was his duty to bring his brand of law, order and justice to the world. People hated him for it and there was rarely a good word said about him. But it wasn’t all his fault. Prior to receiving the badge, he was a somewhat awkward kid who was mostly ignored. When he WAS acknowledged, it was only to make fun of him. So, the badge simply served as a license to execute the justice he’d already thought about in his mind.
Of course, I focused on his misplaced authority in the paragraph above. But, what about the others who made fun of him? They had badges too. Except, they didn’t wear them out in public. They executed their brand of relationship and received support when others laughed.
Our actions influence. Our words impact. And in order to make a negative memory in the mind and heart of someone else, we don’t need no stinking badges.
However, the reverse is also true. To make a positive impact, we don’t have to wait until someone is nice to us first. We don’t have to wait for instructions. We don’t even need badges.
We can decide to be intentional about every moment because every interaction is an opportunity to influence.
Don’t wait for your badge. You can do something amazing NOW!
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About The Author
My name is Robert Kennedy III. I’m a professional speaker and author. I speak and write mainly about leadership and communication. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or on my website, RobertKennedy3.com
