Hang Em High!
My depiction of the sad sentiment that sweeps the heart's of many this day.

Rodney's Painted Pen Commentary
http://rodneybohen.blogspot.com/


Hang Em High!

I sense inside this day, a disturbing scent and flavor of disposition gripping the hearts of many Americans, yes, this cowboy attitude of let's get em! And hang em High! I find this rowdy conduct despicable painting the American heart to be certain, for I had sincerely hoped we had become better than that with practice over the years.
First and foremost, the problem with this cranial deficient attitude of let's get em, is this.... THEM, happen to be women and children living normal lives just like us!
WE don't really think the thousands demonstrating in the streets of Iraq burning our flag represent the entire consciousness of the populus do we? No, no more than the hang em high group over here in the states do truly represent the mass opinion either!
Yes, often the fringe based in ignorance untold gets the most attention!
My next example and statement shall raise the fur on our backs as well I am sure, Being a people today who clearly have difficulty at times, standing in another's shoes!
Yes, we showed the Japanese all-right didn't we during that war?
As we in retaliation to Pearl Harbor dropped our deadly arsenal on Nagasaki and Hiroshima claiming UNTOLD numbers of innocent lives! Innocent yes! And if we as a people are not capable of discerning this distinction, we are worse off than I imagined prior.
Yes, Yes, I know, they struck and drew first blood! Yet folks, with all due respect may I point out that their target was military, while ours..........well, not so I fear.
And furthermore to add insult to injury, and paint us further in dismal to the pages of History, we then in our natural brightness took all the USA Japanese citizens no less, and put them in intern camps in the desert with barbed wire, deeming this suitable due to their physical features differing from ours.
Yes, folks that had been residents here for years and generations, we hastily deemed as enemies of the state, we stole their homes and finances and stuck them all in a pig pen in order to safeguard our internal Democratic infrastructure.
Geez, how embarrassing indeed, and I have heard few over the years sympathize with me on this issue I might add as well. Did and does this past behavior not paint us in a tad paranoid I ask this day?
Yes, before long these primitive knuckleheads and buffoons will probably now, here at home,start rounding up all Muslims and folk from that region of the world, and incarcerating them by the thousands as well.
My the sadness swept upon histories remembrance when we act in such steeped hatred, prejudice, ignorance and fear.
Yes, to this day some of the old folks still despise the grand and gracious Japanese people due to uncalled for and outrageous attack on our boy's at Pearl Harbor, oh yes, you know they taught their son's and daughters the same hatred as well, that it might be launched and catapulted into the next generation also! Where do you really think this anti Japanese sentiment stemmed from a few years ago, when many claimed the Japanese were in fact monopolizing our commerce, due to the fact that they merely were more bright and innovative in their design of a gas efficient automobile! Yes, we cried, raged and ranted that these, our Japanese bothers and sisters were taking over the very economy of our entire nation! Wait...that sounds familiar doesn't it? Yes, ignorance has been claiming the same about the Jews for years now...Yes! They run the whole world commerce! How indeed steeped in foolish and beyond lies these anti-Semitic viewpoints basted in prejudicein my estimation, and furthermore if indeed the Jews, Japanese, Catholics or any other group did seem to control the economic pulse of a nation and world, would it merely not mean that they were indeed brighter than us!
Oh I know, that really pissed off the good old boys!
Hey fellas I got just this one thing to say, what ever happened to good old competition? Are we as Americans indeed threatened by the technological advancement of other nations? Well surely that paints us in sad.
Shall we soon be chanting again, America love it or leave it! I truly never thought that I would see the day again when war demonstrators were called communists and enemies of the state! Directed to all who stand as pacifists this day?
I'm sorry, am I missing something here? Is there something wrong with this notion of peace? I rather always found it quite simplistically set in wisdom and compassion, as a diamond setting of sorts.
Oh well, perhaps I have rambled about enough this day....yet, and now I yes smile....
I must state in closing however in reference to the lovely Japanese people, that my Grandfather Abel was a brave and courageous missionary in the then mysterious regions of Japan for many years, somewhere around the very early 1900s I would suspect. He made many friends over the years with the nationals at the time.given his genuine affable and caring disposition. When he would visit u In sunny Southern California when I was young, we always had a grand, distinguished and draped in noble group of people come in droves to visit this grand man, yes my grandpa! For he was almost like a celebrity, being swept and imbued in charismatic.
Many of these folk were Japanese, and I must state this day, that these gracious and gentle folk live upon the memory of my heart, as being some of the most marvelous people I have ever encountered in my lifetime.
Alas, I said all that to say this...that I just bet, that the whole of the Iraqi people rest in the very same measure of gracious, charming and gentle as well!
They are OUR brothers and sisters folks! Let us realize it this day!
Oh, I see, you don't believe in the old "Am I my brothers keeper" stuff huh?
Well,........we are!
Rodney
Peace,

Rodney Evan Bohen, author of "Letters to Carla"
http://www.rodneybohen.com