By PAWNEE ANNIE

I have been lately pondering a Children’s Classic written and published in 1837 by Hans Christian Anderson.
However, it really is not a children’s story. It’s a tale of our society and world.
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” tells of two weavers who promise an Emperor a new suit of clothes that is invisible to those who are unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent.
When the Emperor parades before his subjects in his new clothes, no one DARES to say that he doesn’t see any suit of clothes until a child cries out,” But he isn’t wearing anything at all!”
Leave it up to an innocent child who would unabashedly shout exactly what he saw.
Imagine the fear and the reluctance of the citizenry in this story to tell the truth. After all, an open declaration that the Emperor was naked would reap the accusation of being “incompetent, stupid, or unfit for any position.”
And who knows what would happen to the poor, honest citizen then?
Sound familiar?
This story is relevant today. The truth is constantly skewed.
Repeat a crazy explanation enough times and it will eventually become a valid fact to the ears of the receivers. No matter how ridiculous the tale may be, it eventually becomes palatable, either because the hearers are worn out from hearing it, or because they have forgotten how the original tale began.
There’s nothing new under the sun, is there? We keep falling for the same tricks.
Whether it’s an exaggerated lie of the press, a defensive position of the those in authority, or simply one of your children making up a ridiculous story to explain what really happened? It’s all the same.
Anyone who chooses to speak the TRUTH risks being verbally maimed, defaced, or accused of stupidity.
No one wants to be judged as incompetent, stupid, or unfit!
We are in a stupor. (That’s where the word “stupid” comes from) Or we are cowards. Or we are just plain ignorant of what is going on.
Never have things been so crazy and skewed. Up-is-down, right-is-wrong, wrong-is-right and good-is-bad.
We have all heard the lion story…over, and over. People (and lions) are in an uproar!
On the other hand, human babies who could survive out of the womb, are being extricated from the womb, carefully destroyed as to not damage their organs, and methodically cut to pieces.
And we hear hardly a peep over that atrocity. Oh, but funding the atrocity? Yes, by all means!
Or how about this?
Twenty-three American veterans commit suicide every day. No one cares. One lion gets killed and people are rabid.
What is the matter with us?
Have we believed the constant barrage of mind altering logic telling us that animal life is precious while human life, created in the image of God, is worthless and cheap? Or do we acknowledge in our hearts that the system is naked, and blind, and off track.
 Could it be that we do not want to speak up because we might be accused of stupidity, simple mindedness, or incompetence?
We once lived in a society where respect for human life, and using common sense was the pervasive argument for our policies. Sure, double-speak and corruption went on, but the general public ran on solid, moral values.
Is there a child among us? Hey, child! Will you shout the truth?
Maybe the national news media will notice his cry and tell it like it is.
I hope so.

“Woman’s View” is Judi Tabler’s reflection of her experiences and events. She is a wife, mother, writer, teacher, grandmother, and even a great grandmother.