CROSSVILLE —
We’re in a flyway for large flocks of migrating sandhill cranes. Their trumpeting approach can be difficult to localize. As the flight nears, the birds’ colors blend into the sky with the outlines of long necks, wings that spread five to six feet and feet and legs stretched out behind in natural aerodynamic efficiency.
I saw one recent flight circle to follow their leader and wait for stragglers to catch up with the main flock. One straggler was struggling to stay aloft. It faltered and began to fall, still fighting against the loss of altitude. The remainder of the flock seemed to pause. When the falling crane disappeared below the tree line, the stragglers rejoined the main flock and the flock pressed on against a light wind. They sensed that it is best to stick together.
Humans have a tendency for personification—attributing human qualities or imagined human behavioral traits or habits to lower-order animals. Because the cranes left a member behind that day perhaps the main flock was made up of conservatives. They circled to let the stragglers join, but when the lone crane began to fall they made the falling bird accountable for its own behavior and its own survival. Conservatives say, “That’s just the way it is—every crane for itself.” Others might say the straggling cranes were progressives and fell behind to encourage the aged or wounded bird. Progressives might imagine both compassion and valor for the flock to pause as the elder or wounded one dropped out so the flock could continue unhindered and the wounded one could meet its end on the wing, never giving up. But that is only personification.
Humans also move in flocks, but metaphors provide no data. We have different concepts of “the American Dream,” of where we hope to work or who we hope to be. The dream may be a full belly and a warm place to sleep. It may be of a large farm or a palatial home. Or it may be only a fervent hope that our family will be healthy and prosperous. No matter what we imagine as the dream, we may never get it all, as a nation or as individuals. But most of us have a shot at a part of our American Dream. But we cannot flap and squawk in a circle like Congress trying to solve a simple problem. If we want the dream we must go after it, helping others if we are able.
Our dreams are not singular. They’re different for each of us. In our democracy we elect leaders partly on how we prefer our government to help its citizens. Some notice other citizens who could use some help. Others believe it is every individual for himself or herself. Some of us take too much. Others must give too much, especially in war. Few of us appreciate the mysteries of our own good fortune or the tribulations of others. But how we all work together determines the character of the country. To some extent both cranes and humans operate on instinct. Humans also have common sense. But our common sense often gets lost in politics. The last election is over, like it or not. Common sense says it’s time to get over it, to quit pouting and follow our elected leader. That’s what democracy is all about. Win some, lose some, but keep moving in the same direction.
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This column represents alternative thoughts to other published columns in the Crossville Chronicle. “We the People” is published each Wednesday. Opinions expressed in “We the People” columns are not necessarily those of the Crossville Chronicle publisher, editor or staff. For more information, contact John Wund, editor, at jwund@frontiernet.net.
Opinion
We the People: Cranes, politics and progress
- Opinion
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An American tragedy?
I knew a bond trader. Not well, but well enough to pity the man. Money was his only measure of worth. On a good day (if he made a lot of money), he was ecstatic. On a bad one, he was morose. He could be pleasant in conversation at times, but now and then he would appear clueless about the broader range of human experience. Although he was rich (by my standard, at least), there was something shallow and tawdry about his life.
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A creative retelling of history
A wonderful film, “42,” has been showing at the Rocky Top theater in Crossville the last several weeks. It takes us back to 1947 when the lives of two Methodists, Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson, first intertwined.
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Stumptalk: A super majority legislature
Much media attention has recently been focused on the inability of the super majority of Republicans in the 2013 legislature to enact every Republican bill into law. Why is this different from some of the recent super majority Democratic legislatures? If you were paying attention to the debates in the committees, and analyze that debate, you will find that Republicans don’t automatically follow their party leaders when it comes to doing what each individual legislator thinks is best for Tennessee. Republicans actually try to do what they think is best for our citizens.
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Tidbits: Jolie’s move a conversation starter
Angelina Jolie, named the “Sexiest Woman in the World” by People Magazine in 2005, stunned the nation last week when she revealed she had chosen to have a preventative mastectomy after genetic testing revealed she had about an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
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LION AND THE LAMB: Ten years in captivity
Traditionally male violence against women has been delivered by fist or gun. On May 6, however, another delivery system was brought to light: chains and rope.
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WE THE PEOPLE: Crashing those Pearly Gates
Too often when one of our “public servants” dies, even if he is a blot on the human race, he is elevated to sainthood before they can get a tag on his toe. Then the press eulogizes him right into heaven before St. Peter can check his credentials. Even those who are a bit skeptical of this revision of history tend to adopt a “forgive and forget” attitude. Margaret Thatcher’s recent death seems to indicate that the British are less forgiving and have a better memory.
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TIDBITS: Practical advice for new grads
Another graduation season is upon us, and soon a new crop of young adults will head out into the world, full of hopes and dreams for the future.
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STUMPTALK: The right to bear arms
The anti-gun activists are wacky as a June bug for their solutions to eliminate gun-violence. They have it backwards. Instead of going after those that perpetrate these despicable acts, they are mounting attacks on law-abiding citizens, restriction of access to firearms, limiting magazine size and universal background checks.
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Small Town Girl: Britain's missing royalty
Last week, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, after a 33-year-reign, abdicated in favor of her son, the now-King Willem-Alexander. He is now the youngest monarch in Europe and is the first Dutch king in more than 120 years. One has to wonder how Prince Charles of England felt while attending the coronation ceremonies. After all, he has been waiting to inherit the English throne from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, for over 60 years.
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We the People: Minimum wage is not enough to live on
For folks too young or too unaware what has happened to our economy the past 30 years, here is an answer. Ronald Reagan, G.H.W. Bush and the Republican Party are responsible for what we know as "Reaganomics," an economy that continues today resulting in few "labor unions” and the resulting low wages and lack of worker benefits.
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An American tragedy?
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Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
