From the title one might suspect a post about the dangers of fudge. Or the calamity of eating bacon. The life of an overweight man. But no. I just liked the play on words from a title of an old book. For some reason when I picture that book, and the characters I remember from it, I envision James Franco. I used to be a fan of his but I digress... Anyway, the other day (it was actually yesterday but that seems so cliche') I was sitting in a waiting room (I suddenly remembered some old lyrics from an old album "Sitting in a bunker, Here behind my wall, Waiting for the worms to come." - and once again, I digress ...) when I noticed the television was on and a program was on about slavery. There's been a lot said about slavery lately. It doesn't exist in the old form here in the United States as we have read about but it seems like only yesterday. Which is weird because slavery was abolished more like ten years ago or even longer than that. I think Abraham Lincoln said it best - "Four scores and seven bars ago, Steven Spielberg brought forth on this production a new soundtrack recorded by the Chicago Sympathy Orchestra." But that was just Daniel-Day Lewis doing a promo on youtube. The documentary, which I'm referring to, was about the post America since the days of slavery and how far this country has come since that liberation. I only watched ten minutes of the special but I could understand where they were going with it. Slavery was bad. People were buying and selling other human beings. I don't think there is a child or adult who has not heard about it. It was in all the papers. Now I realize that some of you (I have a list of your names on a sheet of paper and I will be giving it to the NSA later) think I might be making light of a terrible and sober subject. I am. Not. In fact, I personally am a descendant of someone who used to witness the daily trading of slaves. His name was Jerry and he felt it was wrong. A lot of people did. Well, I can't really speak for anyone's feelings or attitudes but I'm sure there were many. And it was terrible. No one could, or should, deny it. But we still have the same attitudes today about individuals in our lives. Not all of us but some. There will always be a possessiveness felt by some towards others. Employers will, to some degree, feel ownership over some employees. And politicians will, to some degree, feel ownership over some voters. And vice-versa. How many decisions have been made by politicians ("leaders") who have felt the invisible chains held by unions, lobbyists, minorities, genders, corporations, and other groups who hold the power of re-election over them? How many times has a common "joe" made a decision which goes against his moral fiber and conscience because of the invisible chains that bind him? We want to pat ourselves on our backs and say look how far we've come but really we've just changed the color a little bit, haven't we? As I was watching the documentary I turned to the family member sitting with me and asked him if he has ever studied "propaganda" in school or even heard the word? He wasn't sure what I was asking. Which was okay because I was really just trying to make a point. I live in a world where certain races and certain genders are being looked at in a way that screams of an old idea. In Germany, not as long ago as Lincoln's time but a few decades ago, a man came to power that sought the use of an idea and the propaganda to push the idea. I remember studying about him and wondered how could someone pull the wool over so many others' eyes? And now, in my forties and a little wiser, I can watch my television or other forms of media, and understand how a nation could find contempt and hate for a different color of person. In our country it seems we have come a long way since the mid 1800's. We have become a nation that has forgotten the formula used by a few to control so many. In some ways I fear for my own sake because of who and how I came to be. We are destroying ourselves and certain core beliefs because we want to believe that going the opposite direction in a circle will bring us to a different point. Slavery is slavery no matter who holds the chains. It just seems the new boss is the same as the old boss. Another reference to an old song. But I fear we will be fooled again. My name is Rueuhy and I approve this blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment