What a day!!
I wrote this story when Trump got elected. It’s still pertinent today.
Unleashed 11/25/16
New from adifferentkindofstorybook.com
A couple of hundred years ago, in a land far, far away, a mighty beast roamed the country side. It was an enormous creature that had tusks and huge ears. It thought too highly of itself and didn’t get along with other animals. It considered itself to be superior to ALL other creatures. Due to its size, not many challenged it, so it did and said anything it wanted.
One day it decided to cross over to the other side of this BIG pond and see what was on the other side. It set sail and began its journey. When it finally arrived at its destination, it noticed how much smaller the native inhabitants were. The natives only had sticks to defend themselves against this enormous beast who had TUSKS!
It didn’t take long for the natives to be overrun. Conquest tasted pretty good to the beast. It decided to expand its hate to other lands. Once again, it set sail for a new land. After another long journey, it arrived at the shores of a dark continent. It was greeted by the local inhabitants. The beast noticed that they, too, only had sticks, so it quickly began to subjugate the locals. It quickly realized that if he captured them, then he could take them back home, enslave them and put them to work.
The beast began rounding up the locals and putting them in chains. He stuffed them into the bottom of his ship and when the ship was full, he set sail for home. Along the way, hundreds of the captives died due to poor living conditions aboard the ship. When they arrived on the shores of their new home, the slaves were branded, sold and put to work. This went on for two centuries.
During those two centuries, other animals began to speak out against the way their fellow citizens were being treated. It got so bad that they even fought a war! After the war was over and the voices of freedom reigned, the beast was no longer allowed to roam the country side and spread the message of hate and fear! After all, hate usually springs up from fear. The new leaders of the land were aware that they couldn’t abolish hated, however, they could contain it. Laws were created to prevent hated from openly harming or intimidating others, but It didn’t stop it from existing in their homes.
The enormous beast was reduced in size and forced to stay in its own yard, but it still existed. For the next 4 or 5 decades, society chose to avoid the beast and decided to ignore it. I don’t see how ignoring it, fixes it! When the beat decided to resurrect itself, it was met by protest and violence. Once again, it was defeated on the public stage, but allowed to go home and continue. It had built up quite a following and it wasn’t going down without a fight! It spread throughout society and infiltrated their homes. This time it took up residence in societies living rooms. When family members, friends or neighbors got together, they now found themselves walking around this huge creature, but NO ONE acknowledged it being there.
The creature went out in the streets and waved its flag and stood behind its belief that it had the right to feel the way it did towards others. I say, “just because you have the right, doesn’t make it right!” One thing that I have found that fuels hated and prejudice is COLOR! An easy identifier. Somewhere along the way the beast was said to be pink. Society began referring to the beast as being in their living rooms and being pink. There’s that color thing again. I happen to believe that color has nothing to do with anything! Hated and fear come in all colors and they are taught! Love and kindness come in ALL colors, too. You can’t do much about your color.
Nearly 2 decades into the new century, the beast sent one of his followers out into the land. Its purpose was to pour an accelerant onto a simmering hate with cruel and harmful words. Its hope was that hate and fear would trump love and kindness. No pun intended. Well, maybe a little. Society was given a choice and the beast won. Many were surprised and disappointed by the results, however, facing this cancer was long overdue. If you see the glass half full, then you’ll recognize the opportunity to expose it and finally remove it. That pink beast was now set free from the living rooms of society to roam wherever he saw fit!
Problem was, that society had also evolved past sticks. They were NOT going to be taken captive or enslaved again. They were not going BACK to the old days with their old ways! Four decades prior, the world was faced with MAD. Mutual Assured Destruction. Smart and cool heads prevailed and avoided a catastrophe. Once again, society was faced with a major decision. If they didn’t find a way to get along with one another and STOP the hatred, then their land would be destroyed. It took a couple of years, but society DID recover.
The beast was removed, but NOT locked away, so it continued to lie to its followers. Tensions and destruction ran high for a while, but in the end the land was restored to its full potential.
The beast didn’t create bigotry, but he did unleash it.
It’s NOT how the fight starts that counts – it’s how it finishes!
I love a bowl of tomato soup, but give me a bowl of GUMBO and I’m in soup heaven. Where I am weak, you are strong. Where you are weak, I am strong! We’re better when we incorporate ALL our gifts and talents and use them together, towards our better good and not be envious of one another.
I love GOOD and HAPPY endings!
NEVER GIVE UP!
Love & Peace,
Brother Charles
©Charles W. Taylor, Jr. November 2016