More on the Imaginary Torture-Murder Scandal ...

Two posts back I started a meme about how the rulers of an imaginary desert island society are trying to torture and kill one of the island's inhabitants for the sheer blood-lust of it all. It's an allegory about how we on the Left are stupid chumps for our inability to stand up to naked aggression and "evil" (for want of a better word). In the first entry, the rulers were going to force a vote on the subject which they would win, but the less revolting elected leaders were going to employ legitimate parliamentary tactics to delay and stall the vote. The majority party was simply going to run roughshod over these rules and, instead of this front-on assault on the legitimacy of their own power hurting them, the people of the island vow to fight-on using the same methods and tactics that the majority party can nullify at will.

Yesterday, I had the decent, sane people of the island arrange a peaceful demonstration against the random torture and murder of one of their fellow islanders. Of course, the demonstration was attacked by the island's police force and in retaliation, someone threw a rock, which, in the topsy-turvy mindset of this island society, somehow "justified" an even more brutal crackdown on the protesters. (I know! Crazy ain't it???)

I've decided to continue with my little allegory today. Let's find out what happens, shall we?

TOM: "Hey. You know that guy the leaders want to torture to death?"

DICK: "Yes. It's terrible. What about him?"

TOM: "Says here in the 'Island Gazette' that he's been sabotaging our smoke-signals and molesting our children!"

DICK: "What?"

TOM: "Here."

DICK: "B-b-but this is preposterous! We've never heard reports about the smoke signal being tampered with. Nobody's children have been molested!"

TOM: "That's what it says."

DICK: "I know that's what it says. I can read. But doesn't it seem a little bit convenient to you, that they pick one of us at random to torture and kill and when we have the audacity to complain about it, all of a sudden they print a bunch of terrible crimes he's supposedly done?"

TOM: "That sounds like conspiracy theory to me."

DICK: "Look, the publisher of the 'Gazette' is tight with the ruling party ..."

TOM: "Now I know you're a conspiracy nut."

DICK: "Hey now wait a minute!"

TOM: "Say, for a second, that these things are true. Do you want to be seen as having defended someone who was destroying our hopes for getting off the island just so he could continue diddling our kids??"

DICK: "No. Of course not. But if they're going to raise these allegations, they should do it at the judgment circle and show us the evidence."

TOM: "Say's here he's gay."

DICK: "What the fuck does that have to do with anything????"

TOM: "You know, social misfit, pervert."

DICK: "Why you fucking asshole!"

TOM: "You're starting to sound suspicious to me yourself pal!"

A member of the island police force walks up to a nearby palm tree. He nails a sign to the tree. It reads:

ATTENTION CRIMINAL SUSPECT

We have heard that several members of our community are disgusted and enraged with you due to your numerous crimes against them.

They are threatening to rend you limb from limb.

For your own safety, we are offering you protective custody, until you can be tried under the new 

INDEPENDENT TRIBUNAL PROCEEDINGS

Which have replaced standard Judgment Circle hearings.

For your own well-being, give yourself up.

You will be treated fairly.

TOM: "Well! Isn't that nice of them! More than he deserves I'd say."

DICK: "Are you kidding me? These are the people who wanted to torture him to death!"

TOM: "If they really wanted to do that, why are they offering him protective custody now? It doesn't make any sense!"

DICK: "They've created the conditions where he's no longer safe among the community, and now, if he gives himself up of his own free will, then it doesn't look so bad."

TOM: "Um, you're talking crazy."

HARRY: "We've always been on the island. I'm having deja-vu right now."

TOM & DICK (together): "Huh?"

HARRY: "We've always been on this island. The same people have always been in charge. For millennia. They keep distracting us with the false hope that we'll get off the island, in order to divert us from making our fight here."

DICK: "That's crazy. I remember being shipwrecked!"

HARRY: "Sometimes they plant false memories in us when we're asleep. Sometimes they let us sail away for a bit before shipwrecking us. But we always return to the island."

TOM: "Whatever guys! I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun talking together. I'm outta here! Bye!"

DICK: "No! Wait! It's not like that at all!"

END