we are all afraid
because retaliation
is real – that’s not right
“We are all afraid,” Ms. Murkowski said, speaking at a conference in Anchorage on Monday. After pausing for about five seconds, she acknowledged: “It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. I’ll tell you, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that’s not right.”
Alaska Senator, Lisa Murkowski as quoted in the article, A Startling Admission From a G.O.P. Senator: ‘We Are All Afraid’ By Annie Karni.
Retaliation is real.
And that’s not right.
I am reminded of the James Thurber fable, The Wonderful O (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1957) that takes place on an island where the letter O is banned along with everything and anything with the letter O in in it.
Two geese were fine but if there was just one bird, that goose had to go because of the O.
Of course the people finally revolt against this madness.
This speech by Andrea, one of the islanders, stands out.
“Be not afraid to speak with O’s,” said Andrea at last. “We cannot live or speak without hope, and hope without its O is nothing, and even nothing is less than nothing when it is nthing. Hope contains the longest O of all. We mustn’t lose it.”
We cannot live or speak without hope.
Hope without its O is nothing, and even nothing is less than nothing when it is nthing.
Hope contains the longest O of all.
We mustn’t lose it.
Hard to have hope right now but it is about all we have left.
At least Thurber ends his fable with:
“Was it a battle? And did we win?” the children cried.
The old man shook his head and sighed, “I’m not as young as I used to be, and the years gone by are a mystery, but ’twas a famous victory .
We have to hope.
We have to have hope.
No Haiku For You 