(Author’s note: After six novels in under five years Ipromised myself I’d take a little break between installments of the Mourningseries I’m writing, and that lasted all of three days before I started thethird novel. I wanted to spend some time going through my files and postingsome old and interesting stuff, including some short stories or novel fragmentsif I can find them, but scenes from the new novel kept jumping in my head. Lifeof a writer I suppose, but perhaps I can do both things and spend a little timecelebrating the 20th anniversary of The Turtle’s Voice blog. In manyways I’m not much different than I was twenty years ago, and some ways mythinking has altered quite a bit. Of course if we don’t change as we age then I’mnot sure we are growing and moving forward, and the world has certainly changedin the last twenty years, although many of its problems are still the same.

This piece made me chuckle when I found it buried in a file from2007, and I believe I wrote it about the militarization of small town policeforces that I saw happening after 911 and The Patriot Act. In the tiny town inNorth Carolina where we lived back then I saw the local PD change, adding the rambars to their vehicles, changing their uniform from tan and brown to solidblack, and parading their tiny tank, a MRAP, and other military type vehiclesaround town. It was a strange time in the world with lots of changes comingfast toward the end of Bush era.)

As above, so below, that’s what the old folks say and it’s asimple phrase that contains much wisdom. Remember as a child that aunt, uncle, or family friend, I think we allhad one, who hugged too tight, pinched too hard, or worked to scare the crapout of us at every opportunity?  Aschildren we would avoid them if given the chance, but every time this relativevisited we’d have to say ‘hello’ and the cycle would be set in motion again.

We’d tell our parents we didn’t like this person and theywould chuckle, because they remembered suffering through this odd familymember’s affection, but since they survived the uncomfortable intrusion, theyfigured we would as well.  So eachholiday or get together we walked stiff legged, braced and prepared, across theroom to say hello.  And when we had ourown kids we also sent them on that long walk. Luckily now this person is old and maybe doesn’t pinch so hard anymore,but it is family and we must treat our elders with respect. 

The perspective of children fascinates me, and perhaps likeanimals they listen to their instincts. As children our survival instinct tells us to be wary of this person orthat person, relation or not, but our parents in a perfect example of doing tous what was done to them override our instincts and demand that we listen tothem, not our gut.  Ever watch thosefunny home videos?  Ever notice howyoung children respond when seeing Santa Claus for the first time?  The world says it’s funny, but I find it tobe quite disturbing because most kids are terrified.  But then the parents step in and explain how Santa is good andbrings toys, and once again a child learns not to listen to their instincts.

I spend a lot of time reading opinions and lately there hasbeen a lot of talk about folks waking up and realizing that we have all beenlied to about various truths.  Often,upon first waking, these folks are in shock and disbelief at how far and widethe lies spread and they are amazed that so few seem aware.  But for me it’s just another example of asabove, so below.  As we force ourchildren to ignore their instincts and tell them that the frightening man whowatches them all the time is safe, our government does much the same thing tous.  As we force our children into makingthat long, uncomfortable, walk to the relative they fear, our government doesmuch the same thing by putting us in uncomfortable situations at work, school,and during recreation.  They tell us notto fear the men with guns, tanks, and strange clothes, just as we tell our kidsnot to fear the man in red with a sack on his back. 

Real change occurs on the Home Front, not in the Homeland,and perhaps the wisdom of the Golden Rule is something we are all missing.  “Do unto others as you would have them dounto you.”  If we don’t want ourgovernment filling our heads with lies and fairy tales, perhaps we should stopdoing it to our children.  And if weexpect our government to listen to us when a policy scares the crap out of us,perhaps we should hear our children when something we consider ‘normal’ scaresthe crap out of them. 

As usual, keep seeking.