Run Away! Why Sometimes the Smartest Move Is to Leave the Battlefield
By LONNIE KING
There’s a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where King Arthur and his ragtag crew arrive at the base of a castle, shouting up at the French soldiers inside the walls, demanding to be let in.
The French soldiers mock them, lob insults, and refuse to grant them entry inside the castle walls. The king and his knights then construct a ‘Trojan Rabbit’, meant to be a ‘gift’ that would actually hide some of the group. And they could use the opportunity for a surprise attack once inside the gates.
The only problem turned out to be that they forgot to get inside the rabbit before leaving it at the gate.
About the time they realize the mistake, the French soldiers manning the fortress hurl the empty vessel back over the wall. Faced with that, Arthur yells the immortal line: “Run away!”
It’s funnier because the script chose “run away” instead of “retreat.” But in that moment, running away wasn’t cowardice. It was pragmatism. The only real option left to avoid disaster.
When Politics Feels Like a Fortress
That scene came to mind this morning as I thought about the Texas Democrats in the state legislature who have left the state for Illinois to avoid a special session called by Governor Greg Abbott.
The purpose of the session? To gerrymander voting districts in a way that further entrenches Republican dominance in Texas, aligning with Donald Trump’s broader agenda. Mind you, Republicans already hold 27 of the 38 congressional seats in Washington, DC.—or 71% of the allocated representation. This is in a state where only 55% of the population voted for the Republican candidate in the 2024 election.
If the special session were allowed to commence and ultimately produce the stated goals, projections are that the Republicans would increase their hold on Congress with an additional three-to-five districts turning red.
That would mean that the party with only a modest majority in the state would own at least 80-84% of the voting power on any federal laws or regulations that impact our state, as well as the other 49. And Democrats would see the walls of the fortress stacked higher.
Come and Take It, But You Have to Find It First
Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Danny Goeb (a.k.a. Dan Patrick—but he’s proven that he doesn’t care about dead-naming people) and other Republican leaders have mocked these legislators for “running away from a fight.” But the reality is those Republicans are bullies calling names while they hide behind their DC mom’s skirt, trying to pick a fight they have no fear of losing.
Meanwhile, the Dems have been standing at the base of a political fortress for years—shouting for inclusion, fairness, and a level playing field—only to have the ruling party build the walls higher and lock the gates tighter.
And now that the Big Ol’ Fat Orange Skirt in DC is scared about the midterm elections in 2026, and coaxing his Lone Star lackies to do the dirty work for him, the smartest option for those state legislators may be to not stick around and listen to the catcalls.
When “Running Away” Is the Right Call
This special session wasn’t a good-faith negotiation. It was a setup. A stacked deck. A performance designed to produce the outcome the majority wanted before the session even began.
In fact, if you refer back to the division of Democratic voters vs. Republican voters in the state, it’s hard to see anything having to do with Texas politics as anything but a rigged system—even without the proposed gerrymandering.
So, sometimes, the only real option is to step away—to deny legitimacy to a process rigged against you. That’s not weakness. That’s recognizing the futility of playing a game where the other side makes the rules, keeps the score, and decides when the game is over.
Like Arthur and his knights in Holy Grail, the Texas Democrats have probably made some previous tactical errors that have put them in the current position of having to head to points north. But, at least they had the good sense (or leadership) to run away before they were demolished.
And, make no mistake about it: they didn’t retreat because they lacked courage. They ran away because staying would mean being pummeled by a system engineered to crush them.
Living to Fight Another Day
In Holy Grail, Arthur’s story doesn’t end at that castle wall. They strategize, regroup and refocus, they look for other ways forward, and they continue the quest. And there was much rejoicing. (If you’ve seen the movie, you know.)
The same goes here. “Running away” isn’t the end of the fight—it’s a refusal to legitimize the illegitimate, and a decision to keep one’s energy for the battles that still matter and can still be won.
Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is leave the battlefield before it destroys you—and come back when you’re ready to storm the gates on your own terms.
Randomly Rudimentary Faith Stuff 
Run Away! Why Sometimes the Smartest Move Is to Leave the Battlefield
By LONNIE KING
There’s a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where King Arthur and his ragtag crew arrive at the base of a castle, shouting up at the French soldiers inside the walls, demanding to be let in.
The French soldiers mock them, lob insults, and refuse to grant them entry inside the castle walls. The king and his knights then construct a ‘Trojan Rabbit’, meant to be a ‘gift’ that would actually hide some of the group. And they could use the opportunity for a surprise attack once inside the gates.
The only problem turned out to be that they forgot to get inside the rabbit before leaving it at the gate.
About the time they realize the mistake, the French soldiers manning the fortress hurl the empty vessel back over the wall. Faced with that, Arthur yells the immortal line: “Run away!”
It’s funnier because the script chose “run away” instead of “retreat.” But in that moment, running away wasn’t cowardice. It was pragmatism. The only real option left to avoid disaster.
When Politics Feels Like a Fortress
That scene came to mind this morning as I thought about the Texas Democrats in the state legislature who have left the state for Illinois to avoid a special session called by Governor Greg Abbott.
The purpose of the session? To gerrymander voting districts in a way that further entrenches Republican dominance in Texas, aligning with Donald Trump’s broader agenda. Mind you, Republicans already hold 27 of the 38 congressional seats in Washington, DC.—or 71% of the allocated representation. This is in a state where only 55% of the population voted for the Republican candidate in the 2024 election.
If the special session were allowed to commence and ultimately produce the stated goals, projections are that the Republicans would increase their hold on Congress with an additional three-to-five districts turning red.
That would mean that the party with only a modest majority in the state would own at least 80-84% of the voting power on any federal laws or regulations that impact our state, as well as the other 49. And Democrats would see the walls of the fortress stacked higher.
Come and Take It, But You Have to Find It First
Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Danny Goeb (a.k.a. Dan Patrick—but he’s proven that he doesn’t care about dead-naming people) and other Republican leaders have mocked these legislators for “running away from a fight.” But the reality is those Republicans are bullies calling names while they hide behind their DC mom’s skirt, trying to pick a fight they have no fear of losing.
Meanwhile, the Dems have been standing at the base of a political fortress for years—shouting for inclusion, fairness, and a level playing field—only to have the ruling party build the walls higher and lock the gates tighter.
And now that the Big Ol’ Fat Orange Skirt in DC is scared about the midterm elections in 2026, and coaxing his Lone Star lackies to do the dirty work for him, the smartest option for those state legislators may be to not stick around and listen to the catcalls.
When “Running Away” Is the Right Call
This special session wasn’t a good-faith negotiation. It was a setup. A stacked deck. A performance designed to produce the outcome the majority wanted before the session even began.
In fact, if you refer back to the division of Democratic voters vs. Republican voters in the state, it’s hard to see anything having to do with Texas politics as anything but a rigged system—even without the proposed gerrymandering.
So, sometimes, the only real option is to step away—to deny legitimacy to a process rigged against you. That’s not weakness. That’s recognizing the futility of playing a game where the other side makes the rules, keeps the score, and decides when the game is over.
Like Arthur and his knights in Holy Grail, the Texas Democrats have probably made some previous tactical errors that have put them in the current position of having to head to points north. But, at least they had the good sense (or leadership) to run away before they were demolished.
And, make no mistake about it: they didn’t retreat because they lacked courage. They ran away because staying would mean being pummeled by a system engineered to crush them.
Living to Fight Another Day
In Holy Grail, Arthur’s story doesn’t end at that castle wall. They strategize, regroup and refocus, they look for other ways forward, and they continue the quest. And there was much rejoicing. (If you’ve seen the movie, you know.)
The same goes here. “Running away” isn’t the end of the fight—it’s a refusal to legitimize the illegitimate, and a decision to keep one’s energy for the battles that still matter and can still be won.
Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is leave the battlefield before it destroys you—and come back when you’re ready to storm the gates on your own terms.
So, grace and grit to the Texas Democrats, and…
Grace and grit to you! — LK
This is SO good, I've gotta share it!
Related