A Man, A Boy and a Donkey

A man, a boy, and a donkey were headed down the road. They past a villager who stated "why isn't the lazy animal carrying anything?"

So the man got on the donkey while the boy walked. They continued for a few more miles and they passed a woman, a mother of three. She asked, "why is the lazy father riding the animal and making the child walk?"

So the man and the boy traded places. They passed an old man and the old man said "why is the lazy son riding the animal and making his old father walk?"

So the man got on the donkey. They continued for a few more miles and they came across a farmer who said "that poor animal, carrying two people at once! you should be ashamed."

So the man and the boy both got off the donkey, tied the animal's legs together and carried it. They came to a bridge that crossed a river. The bridge wasn't very sturdy, it was a rope bridge and because of this, the weight of the donkey and the shakiness of the bridge, caused them to loose balance and fall into the river.

The man looked at the boy and said, "my son, if you learn anything from this, its 'you can't please everyone.'"

This, I believe, is an old Aesop fable. And it came to mind after reading an article explaining how the Port of Seattle quickly took down some Christmas trees (source) to please a rabbi who wanted a menorah up. Ironically, the rabbi didn't care about the trees and isn't going to sue if they don't want to put up a menorah. In other words, it was a knee jerk reaction of the Port of Seattle trying to please everyone.

In related news, this time in Olympia, an atheist put up a sign next to a nativity scene. It read "At this season of the WINTER SOLSTICE may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven, no hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds." While I don't think the message was really necessary, I agree with his right to put it up, something that Christians begin to complain about. But this is the United States of America. Freedom of speech means that even opposing viewpoints get an equal opportunity to make its point. If this atheist isn't allowed to say "there is no god" on a sign then I want to see every church in America banned from telling me to turn to god with a sign. I'm sick of religious people interpreting Freedom of Speech as "Freedom of Speech So Long as Everyone Agrees With Me."

If someone is offended by an atheist sign, well that is too bad. I'm offended by your implication that I'm going to hell because I don't see the value in Church. And isn't that too bad?

And so governments (from city to federal) need to learn that they can't possibly please everyone so they can't go banning one view point in favor of another. Just let both sides post their viewpoints and to hell with those idiots who are offended. Its just the same of the story of the man, the boy and the donkey. If the government bans Christmas, Christians complain. If the government puts up a nativity scene, non-Christians complain. If the government allows an atheist to put up a sign, the religious people complain.

So stop trying to please everyone.

J Kuhl Signing Off