A Bit of the El

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Events recently as regards that other site have people lining up on "sides". Once sides are chosen, other relationships become secondary. People band together with those on their "side" and they identify as such. I am reminded of an ee cummings poem, one of my favorites even though the sentiments were probably not those of someone from my "side" in the conflict he references. It is the poem that begins "Plato told him" and continues to list the warnings throughout history that were given, but the subject of the poem only believes when "a nipponized bit of the old sixth avenue el" hits him in the head. The "el" is the elevated railway in NY and it was demolished, with the scrap metal being sold to Japan in 1939. The verse refers to the repurposing of scrap metal into ammunition for war, and used in WWII. And that is how I was back in January. I hadn't been hit in the head, not hit where it hurts, and so I defended peace at any cost, supporting the side, scoring one for the Gipper - all that. And then in June, I got a shot in the head. Now I am squarely on one side and others who haven't been hit by a chunk of their words that were sold on and used to fund parties by the pool, are on the other side. Sides don't work when everyone is a victim. I think integrity matters, and I want to be treated with respect.