GOLIATH AND THE IVORY TOWER

Once upon a time, there lived a nation of rational folks who dwelt in houses, some of them spacious and elegant, some medium-sized but nice, and others smaller and maybe not so nice, although usually a comfortable roof over their heads. Most of them owned a car or truck, or at least a bicycle. These normal folks were composed of families with a father, a mother, and children. Fathers worked, mothers cared for the home, children attended public schools with honest, loving teachers who taught them how to read, write, spell, count, and treat each other with respect, but left social values to be taught at home. Fathers and mothers cared for their young’s physical needs, discipline, and nurturing which included spiritual training.

When the children grew up, they left home, found a job, and created their own homes and families. In that world every able-bodied man and some women worked, every worker paid taxes, participated in his community, and voted for leaders to maintain order and keep the community safe. Parents taught their children to be civil, law-abiding, respectful, concerned contributors to their communities. Homes provided consistent counseling and a loving safe space. Medical facilities were available, dependable, and paid for by the patrons who used the services. Communities arranged for infrastructure, care of the indigent, law enforcement, fire protection, and entertainment - all paid for by the citizens. Where did that nation of normal, rational folks go wrong?

First, as the population and the community government grew, leaders lusted for power creating a monster, we’ll call it GOLIATH,* that built an IVORY TOWER** named Washington. Disregarding the needs of the rational folks who blindly paid to support Goliath, they took advantage of the situation and found loopholes to enhance their own pet projects and bank accounts while they multiplied like rabbits and dug into their holes. Living sumptuously, they refused to leave even when voted out. Divided into factions pandering to the rational folks to take sides, Goliath thrived on confusion.

Second, although across the oceans that served as natural protection, the folks became closely involved with other countries that are ruled by their own covey of Goliaths who built even more powerful Ivory Towers and decided to intrude on their neighbors with physical abuse that ended up in huge disputes. 

Third, soon the Washington Ivory Tower began to struggle over who is the greater Goliath. With little knowledge of Goliath, the folks took up arms to fight just because the Ivory Tower told them to. Fathers and sons left their homes and families and crossed the ocean to help the little Goliaths destroy the big Goliaths. History supports the need to eliminate cruel and inhuman behavior by some Goliaths although many times unwise decisions prevailed.

Meanwhile, mothers became breadwinners, leaving children alone, homes neglected, and communities changed forever. Many fathers died in the Ivory Tower wars. Womenfolk shared motherhood with staffing factories to supply armor for Washington. Having tried this method of control more than once, perhaps the folks should have asked questions and demanded more accountability.

Soldiers that survived came home. Women refused returning to full-time homemakers after joining the work force with all its perks, and the little folk, well, they became latch-key kids. Divorce began to invade the homes. Some parents no longer shared mutual goals. They built bigger houses with each family member in a room alone with a television, an electronic game controller, and a cell phone. The family dinner table disappeared along with family interaction. Churches were replaced with bars, dance halls, and cultural arts events. Families demanded two cars, Sunday dinner at the favorite restaurant, and a work-out at the local gym, along with many other materialistic toys that pleasured them. Everyone selfishly demanded the right to do his own thing while our Legislative and Justice Branches enacted an unprecedented liberal agenda.

Meanwhile, Goliath continued to multiply in Washington while the folks, distracted with greed and wealth, paid little attention to the ideology.  And they totally ignored the powerful Goliaths across the oceans. Education improved with the birth of high-tech, the young submerged in pleasure with God eliminated from society in general. With new methods of communicating, boundaries all but disappear into a maze of cell phones, internet, and jet planes.

No barriers, no fences, no morals, and more Ivory Towers and Goliath everywhere. As fate would have it, an especially wicked Bantam Rooster arose having a different goal, he began to torture and kill, even beheading many folks, while attempting to frighten them into submission to his seditious views. The Washington Goliath wallowed in the Ivory Tower wringing their hands with anxiety while they contrived schemes to coerce the folks to protect their dynasty, and largely ignored the wicked little Bantam Rooster who soon grew into a huge Goliath.

Finally, it became time to vote again. With little choice of candidates, folks survived the contentious year of campaigning between the two chief Ivory Tower Goliaths, Donald and Hillary. Will wonders never cease? Unexpectedly, Donald became the top Goliath. The loser and her followers refused to fade into their burrows quietly; instead they multiplied shouting obscenities, carrying signs, protesting all over the world – even across the oceans where the dispute was generally none of those folk’s business.

As top Goliaths continue to rattle their swords, otherwise rational folks became completely irrational in behavior shouting at the top of their lungs; Goliaths spewing falsehoods about each other, and absolutely no one is listening - it’s simply noise. Chaos rules and reason is abandoned. Again, the question, “Where did the folks go wrong?”

With a bit of research and fact-checking, the issues begin to surface. The Washington Goliath, along with many other world Goliaths, played with the rule of law and buried its gigantic head in the sand, allowing too many abused, suffering folks to overflow into peaceful territories, instead of staying in their own territory and taking up swords (perhaps with some help from others) against their leaders, abusive, dictatorial Goliaths, who continually stir up dissension so they can prosper in their lustful, greedy quest for power.

Meanwhile, the Goliaths spar with each other instead of seeking solutions, the wealthy elites and Hollywood vipers comfort each other with obscenities, while the wicked Bantam Rooster, who killed for pleasure, has evolved into a huge leopard creeping around the world, terrorizing all the folks, enslaving them in their space.  The question that stands out is “Where were the world’s democracies when the severely suppressed folks needed them, how did this out-of-control situation explode with the supposedly active United Nations guarding the world against such behavior, and should we continue to support the UN when they have failed in their mission?”

Perhaps the real question is not “Where did we go wrong?” but “What can we do to fix it?” Repent, folks, which means to admit failure, resolve to change, and actively search for solutions. Will we stumble and fall again, yes, but rational folks rise up, keep their eyes on the goal, and above all, keep Goliath caged letting him know who is boss, “We the People.”

Remembering the words of a Goliath of the past, Admiral Yamamoto said in 1941, “I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve.”*** Wake up, be reasonable, be vigilant and cautious,SLEEPING GIANT, unless you want another rude awakening.

*    A giant soldier from Gath in ancient Palestine, Biblical story , I Samuel 17
**  A state of privileged seclusion or separation from the facts and practicalities of the real world.

***Quote following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.