Free the Elephant!

I watched an show on Animal Planet today about the "Cave Elephants." There's a herd of elephants in a particular region who must get their salt intake by entering a deep cave and actually mine the salts out. They've been doing this for years. But some time ago (I missed the year mentioned), a group of ivory poachers ambushed the herd as they were attempting the exit the narrow mouth of the cave. Some of the herd survived and they are still a part of the herd that currently lives there. From what the show was saying, they either never returned to that cave until very recently, or they rarely returned there. In a spine-tingling way, they stopped next to what the native tribe there calls "Poachers' Rock" on their way down the mountain side. To me, it reminded me of saying a prayer beside a gravestone.

Elephants have always filled me with awe. They display a very strong social formation, they communicate in ways we're barely starting to become aware of, and they have demonstrated a gentleness and thoughtfulness that we sadly don't expect from "animals." During the tsunami of last year, there were documented cases of elephants saving humans.

So, I never blamed the elephant for being chosen as the symbol of the Republicans. To be wise, gentle, strong, caring, with good memories and communications abilities is certainly something to strive for. And it's not like the Elephant bought their way into becoming that symbol. They didn't lobby for the job. They didn't even get it because of who their daddy was. No, it's not the elephant's fault that it's the logo of the nightmare we're in today.

But I propose a new image for the new GOP. With the evident lack of wisdom, gentility, strength, compassion, memory and good communications, the elephant just doesn't fit the image they portray now.

Consider this:
not important: Bush lying to get the country into war
important: Clinton got a blow-job

not important: Fox news director announcing his relative won Florida
important: Janet Jackson's wardrobe

not important: Saddam was supported by Rumsfeld
important: Saddam was a regional threat

not important: Saddam had nothing to do with the attack on NYC
important: "Saddam and al-Qaida, Saddam andal-Qaida, Saddamandal-Qaida..."

not important: poverty rates continue to climb
important: gay people want to get married!!

not important: senior citizens often need to choose between rent, food and medicine
important: Terry Schaivo

therefore, I hereby propose a new symbol for the GOP. The Red Herring. It was interesting that the 6th image to come up on Google images from a "red herring" search was this. Hey, if the shoe fits...
Maimun