Sunday, March 31, 2013

Mr Potato Head (a.k.a. Kim Jong Un)


While I write this, North Korea is posturing yet again. If it wasn’t potentially so dangerous, it would be comical. Observing men (apparently) goose stepping in precise rows, in precise time; thousands upon thousands of little toy soldiers, packed into the square. Unfortunately, they are not toys. I also hesitate to call them men. If, that is, by men we mean beings with free will and an individual identity, not simply robots or mindless clones. And really! That puffy little potato head, Kim Jong Un, enjoying his moment in the sun, imagining that he is actually important.

But then, is posturing back really of any use? And, hello, U.S.A., was not flying B2 stealth bombers over the south just a tiny, tiny bit provocative? Wasn’t it intended to provoke precisely this response? What? Has “Al Qaeda” been too quiet lately? Iran not naughty enough? Were the generals and heads of the secret service getting a little bored?

Here’s an idea: let’s stop feeding the potato head’s ego.

At the Dachau Memorial, site of the first Nazi concentration camp, are written these words, in several languages,

NEVER AGAIN

Sadly, with human beings, we know that the truth is,

EVER AGAIN

And again, and again, and again... Human beings appear to be constitutionally incapable of learning from the lessons of history. “It’s never worked before, so surely it must work this time.” 

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For the remainder of the Easter long weekend (Pacific Standard Time), my novel, Maybe they'll remember me, is available FREE from Amazon.

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