Friday, June 25, 2004
Political Statements in Iowa
Before I tell my story, I need to explain a little bit about an American custom. In America, when a soldier is sent into war, his or her family will tie a large yellow ribbon around a tree in their yard. This tells the neighbors that a member of their family is serving the country. It also shows that the family is praying for the soldiers' safety. The yellow ribbon is a sign of anxiety, hope, and support in a time of trouble.
In Iowa, many of these old traditions are still followed. In a small town near where I live, a woman tied a large yellow ribbon on the tree in front of their house. Her son was sent away to Iraq for the war.
When she awoke the next morning, her ribbon was gone. Someone had stolen the ribbon. She was determined to show her support for her son, so she tied a new ribbon around the tree. Again, the next day, it was missing.
Her husband assumed that it was the action of a teenage hooligan, so he refused to quit hanging the ribbon. When word got out to the neighborhood, many neighbors too hung ribbons in support of the soldier. The next morning, many of the ribbons were missing.
By this time the neighborhood was furious. The people reported the thefts to the police, and set up hidden video cameras to catch the vandals. What they found was very shocking.
On camera, it was revealed that neighborhood squirrels were chewing the ribbons until they fell off the tree, then carrying them up into their nests. The material was silky and bright colored, and the squirrels liked it. It was the squirrels who were the thieves all along!
It just goes to show that sometimes the explanation of a mystery is not only overlooked, but seems improbable. Common sense often has little to do with the truth, and even past experience fails us. Instead, it is evidence that paves the way to human understanding. The truth is not subject to our beliefs, but rather it is our beliefs that should be subject to truth.
See ya!
In Iowa, many of these old traditions are still followed. In a small town near where I live, a woman tied a large yellow ribbon on the tree in front of their house. Her son was sent away to Iraq for the war.
When she awoke the next morning, her ribbon was gone. Someone had stolen the ribbon. She was determined to show her support for her son, so she tied a new ribbon around the tree. Again, the next day, it was missing.
Her husband assumed that it was the action of a teenage hooligan, so he refused to quit hanging the ribbon. When word got out to the neighborhood, many neighbors too hung ribbons in support of the soldier. The next morning, many of the ribbons were missing.
By this time the neighborhood was furious. The people reported the thefts to the police, and set up hidden video cameras to catch the vandals. What they found was very shocking.
On camera, it was revealed that neighborhood squirrels were chewing the ribbons until they fell off the tree, then carrying them up into their nests. The material was silky and bright colored, and the squirrels liked it. It was the squirrels who were the thieves all along!
It just goes to show that sometimes the explanation of a mystery is not only overlooked, but seems improbable. Common sense often has little to do with the truth, and even past experience fails us. Instead, it is evidence that paves the way to human understanding. The truth is not subject to our beliefs, but rather it is our beliefs that should be subject to truth.
See ya!
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