Your favorite candidate, the devil

Decades ago a eulogy, eloquently spoken, was deeply imbedded upon our national psyche.  Several lines from that remembrance are especially memorable.   

“Some men see things as they are and say ‘Why?’” said the brother of the deceased.  “He dreamed of things that never were and said ‘Why not?’” 

The heart-tugging sentiment was not original; its primary source is George Bernard Shaw’s play Back to Methuselah.  The original line:  “You see things and you say ‘Why?’  But I dream things that never were and I say ‘Why not?’”     

Few will remember that, in Shaw’s play, it was the serpent who uttered the noteworthy lines to Eve.  Antonin Scalia, in a speech some years back, pointed out that irony and declared what many of us already know - it is the irresponsible, tempting use of “Why not?” that has reduced this nation to its present low estate. 

Thinking of our current election cycle I recalled the award-winning James L. Brooks movie of a few years back – Broadcast News.  To refresh my memory of a particular scene I recently viewed it again and found that the segment has, this year, uncanny reapplicability.  

Aaron Altman (played by Albert Brooks) is talking to best friend Jane Craig (Holly Hunter) about her new love interest.          

Aaron:  “You can’t end up with Tom, because it totally goes against everything that you’re about.  I know you care about him…so don’t get me wrong when I tell you that Tom, while being a very nice guy, is the devil.”

 

Jane (disgusted):  “This isn’t friendship, you’re crazy, you know that?”

 

Aaron (defensively):  “What do you think the devil is going to look like if he’s around?  C’mon, nobody’s going to be taken in by a guy with a long, red, pointed tail…c’mon, what’s he going to sound like?  ‘AAARRRGGGHHH’?”

 

“No…he’ll be attractive, he’ll be nice and helpful, he’ll get a job where he influences a great God-fearing nation.  He’ll never do an evil thing…never deliberately hurt a living thing.  He’ll just bit by little bit lower our standards where they’re important…just pokes along, flash over substance…he personifies everything you’ve been fighting against.”

I have a presidential candidate in mind, right now.  Do you?  A man capable of bit by bit lowering our standards.  With effective and emotional methods he slowly begins to change the way we think, feel, and act – about everything. 

It no doubt surprises some theological “progressives” that there are still people who believe in devils.   Less astonishing is the fact that many of us recognize the reality of political devils – specifically, those made in the images of Shaw and Brooks.

Lee ADDS: Listen carefully to Obama’s words…very carefully.