Capitol Observations
When I lived in a large city I would go to the Mall, get a great cup of coffee, find a comfortable place to set and watch people. It is so very interesting to see how diverse America has become and how many different cultures and degrees of wealth there are in just one Mall. It is truly a humbling experience to realize just how narrow our single point of view and focus on life can be. How little we actually know about each other.
The past two weeks I've had an opportunity to take up my old habit of people watching with a cup of coffee, note I didn't say great cup of coffee this time, and take up temporary residence in the halls and meeting rooms of the Arkansas Capitol. For several hours at a time I would watch the people, mostly members of the Legislature scurry from room to meeting room sometimes laughing and others so very serious, even a few who appeared to be mad or frustrated. I've always had trouble distinguishing the difference between non-violent mad and frustration in others.
This took me back to my college days. The professors always wanted us to compare and contrast everything. Krishnamurti vs. Plato, Freud vs. Jung etc. So it came natural to begin to compare and contrast the diverse people, their culture, their dress and their wealth and on and on in the Malls to those in our Capitol. The many fine distinctions that make us individuals in a single and inclusive society.
Let's see... The Mall diverse, all wealth levels, more religions than I could count, women, hundreds of children, and families, a beautiful mix of people with a common goal, find something to make their lives better. The Capitol, over 90% male, dressed in suits, mostly dark with a "power tie" a lapel pin, the mandatory American Flag and often the "club" pin of the House or Senate making for a very weird look, two pins together. The only children were a couple of tour groups from the local schools, who by the way were always cautioned to stay out of the way of these VIP's. At no time did I witness a single legislator stop and talk with a student. The few women were made up of two classes. One class, the staffers and secretaries and the other, lady Legislators. The first group far out numbering the latter. As for religion, you might have guessed, just one, with the exception of a couple who won't list anything on their bio's.
Now, my question to you is this. How is it that a group of 135 legislators, who dress like clones, have nearly identical belief systems, have wealth far above poverty, ... have any idea what is best for all the rest of us?
Reminds me of the old joke... the difference between the inmates and the doctors in the psychiatric facility is that six guys in white coats could agree on the definition of reality. The sad part about the joke and the joke about our legislature is, just whose reality is true?
We can only hope our Legislators possess the intelligence and the courage to make every word they utter and every law they write inclusive of everyone in our state. There is no place for personal prejudice or bigotry in any form in our government.
The past two weeks I've had an opportunity to take up my old habit of people watching with a cup of coffee, note I didn't say great cup of coffee this time, and take up temporary residence in the halls and meeting rooms of the Arkansas Capitol. For several hours at a time I would watch the people, mostly members of the Legislature scurry from room to meeting room sometimes laughing and others so very serious, even a few who appeared to be mad or frustrated. I've always had trouble distinguishing the difference between non-violent mad and frustration in others.
This took me back to my college days. The professors always wanted us to compare and contrast everything. Krishnamurti vs. Plato, Freud vs. Jung etc. So it came natural to begin to compare and contrast the diverse people, their culture, their dress and their wealth and on and on in the Malls to those in our Capitol. The many fine distinctions that make us individuals in a single and inclusive society.
Let's see... The Mall diverse, all wealth levels, more religions than I could count, women, hundreds of children, and families, a beautiful mix of people with a common goal, find something to make their lives better. The Capitol, over 90% male, dressed in suits, mostly dark with a "power tie" a lapel pin, the mandatory American Flag and often the "club" pin of the House or Senate making for a very weird look, two pins together. The only children were a couple of tour groups from the local schools, who by the way were always cautioned to stay out of the way of these VIP's. At no time did I witness a single legislator stop and talk with a student. The few women were made up of two classes. One class, the staffers and secretaries and the other, lady Legislators. The first group far out numbering the latter. As for religion, you might have guessed, just one, with the exception of a couple who won't list anything on their bio's.
Now, my question to you is this. How is it that a group of 135 legislators, who dress like clones, have nearly identical belief systems, have wealth far above poverty, ... have any idea what is best for all the rest of us?
Reminds me of the old joke... the difference between the inmates and the doctors in the psychiatric facility is that six guys in white coats could agree on the definition of reality. The sad part about the joke and the joke about our legislature is, just whose reality is true?
We can only hope our Legislators possess the intelligence and the courage to make every word they utter and every law they write inclusive of everyone in our state. There is no place for personal prejudice or bigotry in any form in our government.
posted by The Merlin Foundation | 4:28 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home