When Diogenes climbed out of his bed in a large water jar, he went for a walk around Athens; with a lantern. He had become so disgusted with the moral character of senators that he wandered looking for an honest man so he could light him up for recognition. That was 2300 years ago and I have become Diogenes’ brother in today’s search. Some elected officials may start off with good intentions, but greed creeps in. They learn how to climb the ladder of power and get around the weak rungs. The higher they climb the smaller the people look. Our one dollar bill has a bald eagle with a bundle of arrows in his claw. Aesop told his son’s that it is easy to break one arrow, but difficult to break many tied together. Politicians have learned that lesson, and when parties were created, the informed knew if they held together, the harder it is to break even one dumb lie. In today’s politics, the monument to compromise is covered with a blanket. When a politician builds a “war chest” it is to armor himself against the art of compromise. Even a wise man will have to fend off accusations and as Herman Goebbels the propagandist for Hitler stated: “If you tell someone a lie, the more often you repeat it, the more likely some will begin to believe it!” When the Greeks broke the long world history of tyranny and dictatorship the battle for democracy was created and won. Fortunately, democracy brought freedom of thought and political cartoons were born. All this was bound to be challenged by the rhetoric of slick tongued politicians. The lion king may think he rules the pride but the ladies know how to handle him. Thus around and around we go.

Jay Hudson

Ogden

Newsletter