Stirring Hornets

I forgot to post last week. And I even had an idea. Well you get it now.
A couple of days ago my dad told a story that a friend from work had told him. At a scout camp he was attending several young men all got attached by wasps. After medical attention was provided they were asked what happened. One boy confessed that he had found a long stick and seeing a wasp nest in a nearby tree he found it his fascinating duty to knock the nest from the tree. Once that was accomplished he found that that was not enough. He then proceeded to catapult the nest back from whence it came, lodging it back within the branches of the tree. About this time several other boys apparently walked under the tree were they were promptly but unsurpisingly swarmed upon by indignant wasps. What is really surprising is that the wasps hadn't swarmed earlier.
After this story of boyish stupidity -I hope you don't mind me calling it that. My father's friend told him "You were probably that boy. You aren't afraid of stirring up wasps."
"You" I exclaimed in response when my dad related this story. My mild mannered father. When my siblings and I were little it was never him we went to if we wanted to ask permission for some odd adventure.
But... I remember at one point after sticking up for some personal rights in a work position I'm pretty sure he should have written a book entitled "Don't Ask Me. I only work here. Maybe." He does stand up for things that matter. But he's certainly not one to pick a fight.
I guess he doesn't mind playing with hornets.
The other day I was sitting in a class discussion. The questions and topics we were discussing were about patriarchy and the role of men.
"So do you think any form of leadership or power shown by men can be a good thing?" Mi professora asked.
The ring of predominately women students sat silent.
Courage.
I raised my hand, my professor nodded in my direction. "Yes"
"How can you answer so positively? Can you elaborate?"
I struggled for words. "All of us have spheres of influence whether we like it or not and if we use the power we have in good, constructive ways in those spheres whether men or women it is a benefit."
The subject dropped.
The spheres of Dr. Warren, John Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere were fairly large, widened by their own actions.
During the late 1700's Massachusetts was a hotbed of revolution, politics, and a little warmongering. I'm from Massachusetts. I've wondered would I have sided with Adams and Hancock or would I have been a Tory, a Loyalist. I am a quiet law abiding type.
The more I think about it, stirring hornets, the more I wonder why do it. Is it just to antagonize fellow creatures? Or is it commenting on standards of life, standing up for things that matter. Do you stir hornets? Sometimes I do.