by Loren Adams - March 8, 2009
Once upon a time... In a land time forgot, lived the
people of Americus -- a prosperous nation of justice and tranquility. God
indeed blessed the great land from birth and breathed into its nostrils the
spirit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Deity further endowed
it with a soul — exhibited by unconditional compassion and forgiveness
for both friend and foe.
Americus was distinguished from other nations past and
present for its fair and balanced foreign policies — which in turn gave
it great power, in contrast to the notorious fallen empires of history whose
power was derived from military might, belligerency and scorthed-earth policy
over enemies. Americus was the great lighted city set on a hill for all
the world to admire and emulate.
Proud of His handiwork, God observed the citizens of
Americus and longed to bestow on them some great power, unshared by any other
nation on earth, which would raise Americus far above all other civilizations
in the history of mankind — to bring the people of Americus into nearer
perfection to the immortal.
And so it was, He bestowed upon the nation the great gift of
DIVERSITY to accept all races and creeds upon its vast shores. God then crowned
Americus with LIBERTY to enjoy the fruits of the people's labor and to provide
those inalienable rights most cherished: freedom of speech, freedom of
assembly, the right to bear arms, freedom of the press, habeas corpus, and
freedom to worship or not to worship as one pleased.
Extreme poverty, hunger and sickness were little known -- as
the nation spread across the continent. Representative democracy ruled
over the land, in contrast to other nations fraught with harsh despots and
miserable monarchs.
The Dark Side, however, was greatly displeased and tried to
devise some deceitful means to punish Americus for the acceptance of the
heavenly mantle of the exemplary standard universally admired.
One foggy evening, The Dark Side at last came upon a scheme
to deceive the citizens of Americus — he would dispatch an enticing box
that, when opened, would unleash poverty, injustice, dissension, division,
riots, crime, unrest, depression, conflict and war upon the nation. The
mysterious box was designed with the naive in mind — for inscribed upon
dark wood adorned by a delicately carved head of such fine workmanship were
these words: “Do not open unless you desire overwhelming imperial power over
all inhabitants of earth, universal righteousness in conformity to the
religious dogmatists of old, and unparalleled wealth concentrated into the
hands of the elite class.”
The Dark Side's delivery boy, Mercury, was dispatched to
send the box to Pandora, the nation’s keeper of fair elections. Mercury was
given Dark Side's instructions to further reinforce the warning to Pandora NOT
to open the box but to set it aside for safekeeping when a leader far nobler
than the present would rise -- capable of unleashing unbridled imperial power
upon the world. Dark Side confidently understood Pandora would succumb to
temptation, for she was one charmed by glitter and wealth -- especially if
forbidden.
Left alone with the puzzling box, Pandora became more
inquisitive and stealthily drew near and examined it with great interest, for,
as predicted, curiosity drove her to indulge in the forbidden. Surrounding the
ornate box was a gleaming gold cord fastened atop in an intricate knot.
Pandora, who prided her dexterous fingers, felt she could unfasten it.
It was then she suddenly heard the sounds of voices from the
box compelling her to join them in their quest for world dominance. The voices
promised Pandora that if she released them, she would acquire unfathomable
wealth and the nation would grow to the rank of superpower no other country
would be able to challenge into the foreseeable future. The Republic of
Americus was not enough; for the forces of greed mandated more than a
democratic republic could yield; greed demanded control of all, including a
scam banking system and an economic house of cards.
Now, Dark Side had maliciously crammed into this box all the
wars, economic depressions, crimes, illnesses, riots and poverty that afflict
mankind. The box was no sooner opened by the delusional nitwit than all these
evils flew out in the guise of horrid little brown-shirted creatures, closely
resembling stormtroopers of the Third Reich. These miniature beings fluttered
about, alighting on all citizens, some upon New Amsterdam, some on the City of
Angels -- pricking and stinging all inhabitants of Americus and bringing a dark
cloud of depression, division and strife over the once great people.
No more could be heard the sound of merrymakers and
comedians, whose words and sounds induced laughter and applause. No more were
people free to travel but were paralyzed with fear, held hostage in their own
homes -- or on the streets if they were left homeless. Pain and suffering fell
across the land.
Why? Because Pandora succumbed to the temptation of power
and greed -- failing to consider the risks in violating the forbidden -- the
unleashing of a new world order of disorder.
Wars were waged incessantly; the earth was saturated with blood and terrorism;
the civility of hospitality and diplomacy between nations vaporized; the
nations fell victim to financial meltdown; and murder, rape, and theft were
committed with impunity for lack of enforcement. Nations no longer settled
differences with words, but rather with blows and bombs.
The polarization of earth’s people caused major breaches
between religions, races and political systems. In essence, succumbing to the
temptation of Empire by the Dark Side exacted a heavy toll upon the land.
From Pandora’s Box rose a new leader, Jorque Arbusto, whose
reign ended civility between all nations and people. Strife begat strife, war bred
wars, corruption spawned economic collapse. And so it was -- The pleasant,
charitable land of Americus was no more. Arbusto honored the god of forces --
whose confidence in military might to resolve differences dominated
policymaking. Retribution and retaliation were served indiscriminately against
any who dared differ from the ruler and his edicts. Dissidents were
banished to dungeons. No mercy was shared by the ruler of the Dark Side, whose
cruelty was perceived as “courage” by the masses plagued by fear and cultic
delusion. Humility was not one of his strong suits; for his arrogance combined
with ignorance was infamous throughout the earth. The Dark Side was pleased
with the results of his handiwork, for the people of earth now suffered like
the Dark Ages of yore. The Great Tribulation of mankind commenced at the
opening of Pandora’s Box and the ascension of the despotic ruler Arbusto --
hailed as the man of peace but who used a false peace to destroy many.
And all the people of Americus did not live happily ever
after (although most were too indoctrinated by the ruler’s propaganda minister,
Karl Roevels, to comprehend their liberty, prosperity and justice had vanished,
not to mention their bare livelihoods).
The End. 