06.03.08
I’ll be the BEAST who never budges…you be the ass
Party affiliations are like lines drawn in the sand with opponents poised on either side, ready for war.
I was talking with a colleague the other day about the choice of animals to represent the Republicans and Democrats and even though we both support opposite parties, we managed to get a good laugh out of the symbolic implications. Republicans have a reputation for being sticks-in-the-mud who are grumpy, stodgy, and stubborn and refuse to give an inch. They are often stereotyped as having stuck their heads in the sand and rather than see the error of their ways, they have dug their heels in and refused to move. A large, awkward animal like the elephant pretty much sums all that up. Old, insensitive, and willing to walk right over every one. On the other hand, Democrats don’t have a much better image. While they are much more adept at the speechifying and “messages of hope”, their behavior often contradicts their words, making them real, ummm “donkeys” to deal with. Plus, they can be extremely arrogant and presumptuous, strong-willed and vocal. Ever heard a real donkey making a fuss about stuff, I have. They can get on your nerves.
That was a complete tangent, so thanks for indulging me. I just had to share the gist of that conversation since it’s probably one of the best I’ve had about anything political in a long time. On another note, I’m saddened by what appears to be a very stark binary between the parties. On the one hand you have a party that, for the most part, supports environmental issues and the “green” movement but at the cost of our standard of living and future growth. On the other hand, you have a party that downplays or completely ignores anything that has to do with caring for the earth while vigorously promoting economic growth. As a believer it’s so important to me that even in the face of our prosperity, we humbly return to God’s first calling on mankind, stewardship. Surely there can be a balance between fostering potential growth and promoting sustainability.
Jeremy said,
June 8, 2008 at 6:23 am
Uh. Most environmental policies actually *increase* our standard of living (without building on the backs of others) and enable growth that continues BEYOND simply the next quarter’s profit. What was that you said about republicans putting their heads in the sand?! In the interest of full disclosure — I am temporarily registered as an ass. But only so I’d be able to vote during the presidential primary. I’ll be switching back to independant smug person soon!