Clint Eastwood wanted us to consider an empty chair as he spoke at the Republican party convention this past August. The empty chair has become symbolic in this political fight. The president's chair is not an easy chair to fill under any circumstances. The chair of the United States of America presidency is considered the place where the leader of the free world sits. So, consider who you really want to fill that chair. Will it become someone who treasures freedom from its very conception? Or will it be someone who would deny freedom at conception? Will it be someone who denies inalienable rights or someone who has already denied them? Will it be someone who will protect those rights? (added for clarity- parables are sometimes confusing).
Many people will not consider the chair this election, instead they will consider a fence.
A fence is a form of wall that is built with a purpose. A fence is never neutral although many would consider that their position of "sitting on a fence" is neutral territory. A fence is designed to divide and separate. A fence is different than borders.
In Germany, after WWII a walled fence was built to divide and separate Western Berlin from Eastern Berlin. It separated the free world from the oppressed world. One would be shot for jumping over the walled fence. One would even be shot for sitting on the walled fence. Eventually, the leader of the free world, Ronald Reagan, as the man sitting in the chair of the United States of America, through perseverance, helped take down the walled fence. Many were led to freedom. Those separated were united.
Many people sit on fences, whether it looks like a wall or has peep holes and open links. A wall is a solid object which unless one has super powers and x-ray vision, you cannot see through. A linked or "peep hole" fence allows for observation of the other side. Fences, especially those with barbed wire, are difficult to sit on. They are even more difficult to stand behind when the side you stand lacks freedom and offers only oppression because a fence can be very controlling. A stationary position on a fence can be comfortable for a time, but remember, the fence is not neutral. People sitting on it allows stress to build up.
Eventually, the fence forces one to decide because it gets tired of people sitting on it. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall and had a great fall. The fence made the decision for him. And all the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again.
When one sits on a fence the decisions are made while one is staring at the wall or looking through the peep holes. Fence sitting is never neutral. It is a decision one makes to let other people decide for one.
Let's hope the next man who sits in the chair of the United States of America in not a fence rider allowing other people to make decisions that will fence in the free world.
Freedom is never neutral. It demands decisions. When the walled fence came down between Western Berlin and Eastern Berlin, it spoke volumes. Don't sit on the fence this election. Decide in November who you would like to see fill the chair of the leader of the free world. There is a definite choice this year.
Do we want continued walled fences? A nation that denies freedom to the unborn and freedom of religion will build fences with barbed wire. Nursery rhymes explained history.
Eventually, barbed wire fences come down, but not before many people die in the battle that leads all to freedom.
Don't fence me in.
Marian R. Carlino
October 21, 2012
