Two Sides of the Same Body

North Miami Beach, Florida 11-12-2000 Aaron H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME BODY

I love the comic strips in the newspapers. The television comedy shows are
not quite the same as the "funnies". I have come to appreciate that these
comics, unlike the late night ones, do not deal with the stuff that makes
politics entertaining. Yet, there are some of the little stories told in
simple strokes of color that I have to ask Carol to explain to me.

Thus it is with some of the parallels I see in body parts with what is
going on in the world. For instance, we have two arms. In comparing my arms
with one another I note that my right arm as well as my right side is over
developed as compared with my left arm and side. I am a righty. Yet, my
left hand is nicely developed so that it types and fingers strings on
instruments in such a way that my right cannot. They are two parts of me
that serve me differently, well and completely. I would rather not have to
do without either one.

We have two major political parties that are like the two arms on our
bodies. One is to the left and one is to the right. They work well
together most of the time but unlike arms the political parties are always
in a contest to see which will lead.

My left hand is abused by my right hand. I hold tools in my right hand and
often the tool employed, even carefully, misses the mark and maims the left
which is only doing its duty holding a piece of wood or applying pressure to
steady the work. My left hand gets a lot of abuse.

The political parties are not the funnies and they are not really like my
two arms. Yet, they are attached to the body politic and have to craft the
future security of all of our lives. The tools they wield are used to hurt
each other rather than build and create the world yet to be.

I don't know if the metaphor of arms and hands and building can be
appreciated in the midst of angst and recriminations of ambitious and
partisan people. I do know that our political representatives are two sides
of the same body. What do you think?
Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10