”What if I told you that the left wing and the right wing belong to the same bird?” I was visiting Grandpa Bob and he shared this observation with me. It is an insightful look at the dilemma we face in our country. How can humans who enjoy the freedoms of our nation not realize there are things that advance the common good. The quote is attributed to a wise Native American leader, I will share other knowledge from our forefathers, regardless of the source, it is a conundrum and a truism.
Sly and Family stone outlined the challenges in our country in a 1968 near chart topper. Everyday People sang of a cultural fact of the time. “There is a blue one who can’t accept the green one….for living with a fat one, trying to be a skinny one….I am no better and neither are you… we are the same whatever we do…..you love me, you hate and then…you can’t figure out the bag I’m in… “ The song goes on to remind us of the other differences we won’t tolerate. The non judge mental conclusion is “different strokes for different folks.” Not sure how much progress we have made in the fifty plus years since, unfortunately the differences are more pronounced and includes a vitriol which makes no logical sense. Our democracy represented by the Eagle is in jeopardy, we have a strong core but our wings are atrophied by selfish agenda’s and often untruths.
I have to tell you about the non sensical bird, made popular by the Trashmen in a 1963 song, “Surfin Bird”. They started a dance craze that lasted a few years in the mid sixties. The song is a play on those ever memorable hits by the Rivingtons, “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow and The Bird is the Word”. I guess we were less concerned about song rights back then. The lyrics were repetitive and so clever. “Well, everybody knows that the bird is the world… a well a bird, bird, B-bird’s the word.” Life was less serious back then.
I discovered some excellent information on a legends of American Website. Quotes from Native American cultures. Lumbee observed, “seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past. Wisdom is of the future.” The Cheyenne believed “our first teacher is our heart.” Tuscarora must have seen to our present situation, “those who have one foot in the canoe, and one foot in the boat, are going to fall in the river.” Trump’s followers will appreciate this observation from the Blackfoot nation, “those that lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.” I will close with the Arapaho words, “when we show respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.”
I appreciated the uplifting Christmas message from President Biden. Kindness should be a common attribute in our country. The Cherokee advised, “when you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.”
Happy holidays. Mike