The Ten Plagues

 (Photo: Mr. Fish / Truthdig)
(Photo: Mr. Fish / Truthdig)

 A Parable  

At a time not so long ago, in a place not so far away, there lay a rich and powerful kingdom.   It was a time of frustration and turmoil.   The people were agitated as were their representatives who endlessly bickered and fought.  Finally a new President was elected by the Election College and installed in the White Castle.  The new President could no longer stand the dysfunctional congress and so began to rule by Executive Decree.  When he was not signing decrees, he was off playing golf.  Over the years the Imperial President grew distant from his people and the land plunged into the dark and turbulent times of “The Ten Plagues”.

The Plague of Lies was the first plague to befall the kingdom.

One fine day as the President sat at his desk in the White Castle in the town known as Wash-and-Deeceit, the noon day sun suddenly grew dark as a huge cloud of lies rose from the White Castle, high into the sky.  The cloud then settled, thick and sticky, over all the land. For endless days and nights the good people did not know if there was peace or war, more tax or less, global warming or global cooling…they were confused and angry. While they were reeling in confusion the second plague befell them.

The Plague of Blood

Up in the north of the land, in the village known as Flintsville, the people discovered that their drinking water was poisoning their blood.  Many fell ill, adults and children too.  Quickly people called to ask for clean water.  Politicians in Wash-and-DeeCeit said not to worry they would look into the matter.   The poor folk were in the midst of finding clean water when the next plague struck the kingdom.

The Plague of White Sheets

One night as the good people slept in their warm beds, beneath the White Castle rose ghosts of a brutal past.  A horde of white sheets escaped into the night.  They rose through the worms and slime of the earth and what followed them through was a noose knotted rope all braided in red, white and blue. Pausing a moment at the White Castle gate, the hoard was handed torches of hate.   The people quickly sought help from Wash-and-Deeceit.  Promptly a tweet did they receive—“There are good people on many sides.”

The Off-shore Plague

Early one morning, across the land, in small towns and large, people found the factory doors shut tight and locked. A note on the gates read-“We have moved offshore”.  Desperate for work, many took minimum wage jobs, while others fell into homelessness.  The good citizens pleaded with Congress for help.  As they waited, the fifth plague silently slipped into the kingdom.

The Plague of Addiction

Overworked and underpaid, the people suffered. They sought help for their pains wherever they could.  Pain pills of every size flooded the land as Doctors wrote prescriptions for pains of all kinds.  Before long, millions could not live without their opium pills.  From across the land friends and family begged for help from Wash-and -DeeCeit, but little helped did they receive.

The Plague of A.I.

A hurricane wind blew Pink Slips across the land and jobs were taken by robots of all kinds.  The plague swept through jobs of almost every type–from checkers to truck drivers, from clerks to teachers, pink slips even reached accountants and lawyers.  There seemed to be no stopping this plague when the next one was laid.

The Plague of Bloodsuckers

The Imperial President had spent much of his gold for wars in distant lands. Now he and his billionaire buddies were desperate for cash, so he sent his minions across the land.  Like a swarm of mosquitoes, gnats and vampire bats, they sucked the life out of the hard working folk.  First they were bitten with fees, taxes, surcharges, fines and debts. Finally they shredded the social safety net. The people were exhausted but had not given up when the next plague struck.

The Plague of Hail

From shore to shining shore, the land had been flooded with guns. Guns were sold to rich and poor, and many were laid low by a hail of gunfire.  Both young and old died every day as hands on triggers killed thousands they say.  The President was strongly assailed but sadly it was to no avail.

The Plague of Darkness

The President grew tired of the kingdom’s rules and regulations.  He ordered the elimination of rules of protection, and the land fell into a period of “Darkness and Deregulation.”  The air became dark and foul, as poisons by the barrel poured on fields and farms. Toxins leached down to the streams, rivers and sea.  Blood colored dead zones spread across the ocean.   The good folk grew sick.  Many illnesses did they suffer.  Finally the darkness grew so deep that the sun disappeared and the land was plunged into darkness.  Thus the final plague did enter the land.

Death of the Firstborn

As the darkness spread over the land a fungus, not seen before, began to multiply.  It grew so fast that it covered the roads, land, and houses. This new fungus gave off a toxin, which caused paranoia to spread across the land.  People attacked each other and those with guns began to shoot.  Family and friends, neighbors and strangers were shooting and dying. When the air cleared and the sun was bright the fungus began to wither, and the people came to their senses.  Only then did they realize that they had killed their firstborn.

The poor folk cried and grieved throughout the kingdom.

Their patience had finally been utterly exhausted.  Those at work could work no longer and laid down their tools. One by one they took their children, and started to march.  They came from all parts of the land.  As their numbers swelled into the millions, a human tidal wave flooded into Wash-and-DeeCeit occupying every inch surrounding the White Castle.  The people were standing together as far as the eye could see.

A message was sent to the President: we want gun control and a bright new world.   And they waited.  Finally The President’s minions came before the people with a proclamation.  “The Imperial President will hereby immediately halt all production and distribution of guns.  When the sun rises we will begin a dialogue with the people”.

A great cry of joy rang out across the land.  The people rejoiced.  The vast millions filling the streets realized that they had forced the President’s hand, the greatest ruler of the know world.  Tall and proud the mighty people stood, they now knew that there was no power on earth greater than the people standing together as one.

Now they were free,

Neither plagues nor presidents

Nor pleading on their knees,

Would keep them from their destiny.

 

Dr. Nayvin Gordon, 12/12/2017

 

Dr Gordon, a California Family Physician, has written many articles on  health and politics.  He can be reached at [email protected]

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