LILLIPUT
Jonathan Swift
Books for Bigots
You'll have to give it to Gulliver, he knew when his welcome was done and time to vacate the premises. After pissing on the palace things became a little toasty and the consensus was that he was to be blinded for his transgression. The animosity had grown in certain quarters for several reasons including the amount that it cost to maintain Gulliver in nourishment. It apparently was draining the treasury, although it would seem to me that feeding him, just by itself, would have resulted in full employment but the economics of that must be left for a different discussion.
The question remains, 'what can we recommend for reading material to Bigots?'. It remains a constant that Bigots very seldom read a book but it would seem beneficial to the remainder of the population if we could somehow convince a Bigot or two to relax with one occasionally. Gulliver's Travels might be a good place to start.
This would have several benefits. The first benefit would be the time actually reading. This would be a period, however momentary, that the Bigot would not be pestering someone else about their behavior or beliefs - - a welcome relief for many. A second possible benefit, and I say possible advisedly, a person, even a Bigot, might learn something from reading.
Obviously it depends on the book, but even a superman comic might benefit some Bigots; for instance, the semi-literate. But back to Gulliver's Travels Part One, Guliver having pissed on the palace in an act of concern for the Princess and the beautiful palace; and indeed, saving the palace certainly and possible the life of the Princess, was put in jeopardy by the long-standing law that one shall not piss within the palace grounds, the punishment being death. That seems a little stiff for taking a leak near or on the palace, but as we all know the law is the law and must be obeyed. Apparently there are no mitigating circumstances in Lilliput.
The Emperor did, however, take notice of Gulliver's previous assistance in destroying an invading fleet from Belfuscu bent on destroying Lilliput and carrying off its inhabitants. In recognition of this the Emperor decided Gulliver could live, allowing the sentence' severity to be decreased from death to blinding, neither of which meeting with the approval of Gulliver he departed and made his way back to England.
So what we have learned, mere reinforcement for most of us, is that no good deed goes unpunished. It is uncertain if most Bigots are aware of this adage. It has gone into common use so one might presume most Bigots to be familiar with it, but since doing good deeds is not something Bigots are commonly known for, it might actually be a tale worth the time.
Richard E H Phelps II
Mingo
