Lewis Carrolls Jabberwocky

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves 

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

      And the mome raths outgrabe. 

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! 

      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! 

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun 

      The frumious Bandersnatch!” 

He took his vorpal sword in hand; 

      Long time the manxome foe he sought— 

So rested he by the Tumtum tree 

      And stood awhile in thought. 

And, as in uffish thought he stood, 

      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, 

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, 

      And burbled as it came! 

One, two! One, two! And through and through 

      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! 

He left it dead, and with its head 

      He went galumphing back. 

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? 

      Come to my arms, my beamish boy! 

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” 

      He chortled in his joy. 

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves 

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

(Manic depressive Jabberwocky, I alternate between burbling and chortling.)

The Masks Come Off

Some of the posturing of tolerance and respect has dropped away today, even more so than in recent times.

The real faces of protest and screaming demands are revealed to be twisted with hatred, ugly grimaces with dramatically hostile countenances.  It is apparent that this ideology was underlying fundamental sentiment all the time.  How can any protagonist of the current status even try to approach this howling wolf pack!  In their frenzied madness these unreasoning vigilantes would lynch us from the nearest tree.

We the beleaguered seek refuge in more comfortable places, while the screaming mobs mock with derision for our withdrawing from this daunting fray.

Each camp incites themselves to taunt and ridicule what they perceive as the enemy.  Ironically, it will only require some dramatic event to throw things back into a more realist perspective for all partisans.  The impact of one explosive event will be facilitated by all the current dissent and disorder.

Not Forgotten

There are political symbols and gestures by which we represent ourselves and our interests.  The American flag is a symbol that represents our highest ideal.  Though seldom realized, our ideals are higher goals that give us something to aspire to.

Other symbols represent the idealism that other social groups embrace.