By Kathleen Roos Ph.D.
There once was a flea who lived on a dog. We’ll call him, Our Flea! Our flea was free and able to jump from parts of the dog to other dogs with great ease. He was a very athletic flea and jumping extreme distances was his nature. This flea could jump more than 100 times his body length and almost 200 times his body weight due to his God given traits of very powerful hind legs.
Our flea was hunted and caught to be in a Flea Circus. His capturers wanted to train him for circus events so he was placed in a jar with a lid to prevent his escape and so he could be trained.
Day after day he jumped with all his might. That was his nature and he continued to hit his head on the jar lid. But he was a flea: strong and free and jumping was his nature. Our Flea continued to hit his head day after day and on and on. Then one day little by little over time, he didn’t jump as hard or as high and he didn’t hit his head. His capturer was pleased. He had stopped resisting and no longer tried to jump.
One day, the circus became obsolete and our flea was set free to live among other fleas. He could not compete. He could no longer jump as far or as wide and soon died.
This story was relayed to me by Edmunds Sonders (Coming To America, Riga Latvia) in his description of how socialism and ultimately communism impacts one’s soul. Lower your expectations, no need to be creative or be inventive. No need for entrepreneurs and risk takers, your government capturer will take care of you. Stay content in your jar.
I had heard this story years ago, but Edmund’s description of how he felt in Soviet Latvia was telling. During his interview, he used a glass and put his hand over the top to illustrate the captured flea hitting his head repeatedly over time. Then just giving up and not jumping as high.
Is this truly what Americans want? Think about it.
“Why do our enemies see us as Americans and we Americans see each other as the enemy?” Kathleen Roos Ph.D.
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