Everyone has heard the expression "let sleeping dogs lie." Sounds good and is arguably good advice. But what does one do when a lying dog won't sleep, won't shut up, that is?
Normally I avoid all things Levi. He's not worth it right now. Writing about him is a waste of space. He wants the publicity, so don't give it to him. I totally understand, and usually I'm in agreement. But I also understand a basic principle, and that is this: there's a time to fight back. There's a time when you just have to deal with the barking, biting dog that's been dropping you know what all over the place everywhere he goes. And sometimes you just have to put him out--not just to deal with him--but for the benefit of those he's sniping at. This particular mutt, who's been wagging his tail all over Playgirl, refuses to sit down, shut up, or play dead--and this dog is lying every time he opens his mouth.
Levi Johnston has in his camp sensationalist media, foolish Alaska bloggers, and an obviously inebriated, delusional, or severely gullible lawyer. All that, yet he doesn't seem to have anybody in his life to tell him to put his mouth to sleep when it comes to attacking his son's family. No positive male role model to pull him aside, tell him to stop his lying, and just take care of his son. Where's the tough love from somebody who will look him in the eyes and say, "Dude, what are you doing? You're gonna wake up one day from your greed-induced stupor and wonder how you sunk so low as to try to hurt your son and his mom and grandmother like this, and that's gonna be a sad day--for you."
Every time you turn around, Levi's parked on somebody's couch, making mono-syllabic statements about the Palins. And for some reason, he's absolutely obsessed with the Governor. Constantly he's saying she's attacking him so he's going to attack back. Funny thing is, his jaws are the only ones flapping.
Levi, my dawg, shut up your lying. Man up. And please...pay up.
Concerning paying up, according to TMZ:
Levi Johnston's manager, Tank Jones, tells TMZ Levi has paid Bristol more than $10,000 since Tripp was born. Jones also says Levi does not make money off of every interview he does, though he did not say exactly how much Levi has made.
Levi has not given Bristol $10,000. Levi has not had an active role in his son's first year of life.
TMZ also reported:
Attorney Rex Butler tells TMZ, Levi has told Bristol on several occasions he wanted her to come to his house to pick up checks for Tripp's support. Butler says Levi also told her "it would be nice" if she brought Tripp along when she picked up the checks, because Levi wanted to spend time with his son. Butler says on each occasion Bristol was a no-show.
Butler says Bristol is partly to blame for the fact that she hasn't gotten the support she wants. Butler tells TMZ on one occasion Levi was prepared to hand over $3,000 ... but Bristol never showed.
As for why Levi didn't just put the check in the mail ... Butler says, "Why should he have to do that. He's not dangerous to her."
So let's get this straight. Levi loves his son so much that he'd rather give no money at all than put a stamp on an envelope and mail a check? Instead of being a father to his son and providing for him, he'd rather speculate that Governor Palin is behind the legal suit and talk about Bristol's new car. Can you say "dog"? Can you say "lying dog"? If that seems harsh, it'll just have to be harsh because one thing I can't stand is a man--that's right, he's not a little boy anymore--who won't take care of his responsibilities and then lies about it.
You know when tabloids are calling you deadbeat, you've got some stepping up to do. ETonline writes:
In an exclusive interview with ET, Levi says he believes he has given Bristol more than she claims. "I don't really know but my lawyer does. But it's reasonable, what he thought was fair. For them to call me a deadbeat dad's absurd. I attempt to call her all the time and give her texts to make sure he's doing well ... I call her all the time. I try and do everything I can to see my son. I'm making an effort. I'm trying to be there for him."
"I don't really know"? "Reasonable"? "Attempt"? "Try"? "Effort"? Huh? Your lawyer knows what you're giving your son?! Growing up in the church we used to sing a song called "99 1/2 Won't Do." Look, if 99 1/2 won't do, you know 1/2 ain't gonna do!
Bristol, on the other hand, is to be commended. She is taking care of her responsibilities. Here's a young woman who, as she recently told Oprah, gets up at 4:00 or 4:30 every morning, gets her son washed and dressed, works, and takes classes. It's not easy. It's a challenge, but Tripp is her life now, and she is committed to being a good mother to him, not a "reasonable" one.
What does she get in return? The love of her beautiful baby and the joy of knowing she's making a life for her son.
Her ex-boyfriend, however, is traipsing around the country making money by selling his soul--and his lies, gallivanting around Wasilla in his new truck and new trinket (hmmm...), and refusing to buy his son so much as a pair of shoes because his little feelings are hurt that Bristol wouldn't come to his house. In the Black community, we have a word for that. Let me hip yall to it. It's called "triflin'." Of course, the community at large is well aware of the more familiar term: low-down dirty dog.
Tripp deserves better. Bristol deserves better. She's working her tail off for her son, she's learned from some mistakes she's made, and she's committed herself to doing the right thing by remaining abstinent until marriage, to which Levi barks, "I doubt it." (The daily reminder of men like Levi might be the biggest asset to the abstinence movement ever!) By the way, instead of a "role model" like Oprah Winfrey commending her for that decision, she blasted her and gave her a chance to retract it. Are you kidding me?! (I'll deal with Oprah at another time.)
The last thing I want to do is spend a Sunday on Levi Johnston. However, I'll spend a hundred Sundays on the opportunity to applaud Bristol Palin for doing the mature, responsible thing--the hard work. She's a good mom, who has another good mom as an example.
I believe there's hope for Levi; I really do. And I hope he grabs ahold of it soon because he's treading on very thin Alaska ice.
Like I said at the start, there's something to be said for letting sleeping dogs lie. But when a lying dog refuses to put his rabid mouth to sleep, sometimes you just have to put that dog down.
Update: Anyone asserting that I am suggesting Levi should be killed is out of his/her mind. By "put that dog down" I mean put him in his place, call him out, fight back instead of letting sleeping dogs lie. Hello!
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