Making the rounds are e-mails and printed reports portraying Iranian official legal actions as Nazi-like State grading its citizens by their ethnicity or religion.  They warn the reader that all Shiite Iranians would wear official and nearly identical garments to show that the majority of Iranians conform to the true faith.  Jews would be required to wear a yellow mark of distinction while Christians will show a red badge and Zoroastrians a distinguishing blue.

The source of reports like this are varied while the Iranian Government has not commented.  The legislation for such an action has moved through several stages (according to reports) and will soon be law.  What is happening is that the descent of Iran into a state of infamy like the Nazis of Germany is purported to be real. Some who read the stories believe that IT can happen again – this time in the pariah-like country - Iran of the Ayatollahs. It is a believable tale because the practice has ancient precedents.

Why do some who read these accounts immediately forward them to others in large numbers so that a sizeable group of usually reasonable and straight thinking educated people start running around like the chicken who shrieks that the sky is falling.  And, what about those who do not do the research required but accept on face value that what will follow will be invasion of Iran. This is required by the previous wars against Afghanistan and Iraq. The descent and demise of Iran has for many a portent of the coming clash of civilizations.

But, here at home we have a situation that has many people tearing their hair and bemoaning what has happened and continues to happen with our country being overrun (particularly by Mexicans). Solutions such as walls, fences, a moat and human sheriffs partnered with dogs-sniffing illegals are advanced as the answer.  Making them into immediate citizens, or giving them passes to work here for a limited time are just a few of the ideas that are floating and the word is passed by instantaneous communication by electronic devices.  What everyone has missed is the Iranian solution – the hoax that is explained above.  Let them come, but make them wear a distinguishing garment to differentiate them from real Americans.

I have often thought that the price of clothing (leaving the tags on would be gauche) would be sufficient to distinguish classes from one another.  The rich would be identified (like the movies of the30’s) because they wore tuxedos and evening dresses complete with tiaras.  Of course the Protestants would wear middle-class clothing, the Catholics working class garb while the new ethnics would have to wear a mark of some kind or a pull-over sleeveless vest to warn everyone to steer clear of them. It hasn’t come down to this yet; it is after all, a hoax, isn’t it?