Hippochrissy

Our media in recent times has been suffused with an enormous, all encompassing case of hypocrisy. You know what that is, hippochrissy. Breaking the word down into its components helps to define it. Hippopotamus is an enormous animal that dominates every environment into which it is injected. The name itself is so humongous that we use the diminutive, hippo, to help keep us under arbitrary word limits in articles and publications.

Chrissy is a sweet, darling somewhere in everyone’s memory that brings a fond and wistful smile whenever it or she comes to mind. Merging the two concepts brings us to our popular media and political milieu.

Both “sides of the aisle” are guilty of oozing, no spurting, our prejudices all over the landscape when discussing current obsessions. Let’s pick on conservatives first. The “anthem protests” are roundly and soundly denounced as attacks on our flag and the brave men and women who fought and died to protect our freedom. The kneeling during the presentation of colors and playing of the national anthem is the hippo and sweet chrissy is our love and respect for flag and country.

Nothing the protesters can say or explain will deter nor deflect the criticism leveled from those who disapprove of the protest. No explanation is rational enough, nor heavy enough to resist the bull rush of the hippo.

Viewed from the other side is the hippo of an oppressive society that targets and attacks certain sections of the citizenry. Chrissy is the legitimate right and practice of expressing dissent, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

In a reversal of roles, the Confederate emblem smashing movement and the opposition are likewise afflicted with hippochrissy, usually reversing the segment of the population which approves or disapproves. The hippo is that any reference to the Confederate cause in the Civil War becomes an overwhelming endorsement of the repugnant practice of slavery and oppression and those who engaged in it. Chrissy the sweet little thing, is a society cleansed of reminders of this dark, dismal, and disgusting past.

For the objectors, chrissy is our noble ancestors, fighting for their rights against a dominant and oppressive government that threatened to destroy a prosperous and peaceful, for them, way of life. The hippo is the destruction and desecration of legitimate history and the memories of our progenitors.

In mirroring the political divisions of society, hypocrisy continues to divide segments of the population and our refusal to see the other side of the argument threatens to permanently fragment our country. Both sides have legitimate concerns and interests. Peace will only be achieved when we realize and respect others’ points of view.

Very few issues are “all bad” or “all good,” and the sooner we acknowledge that, the better off we all will be. Accepting another view of what we perceive does not mean that we approve or even condone that view. It just means that we are willing to listen to opposing viewpoints. And when we do that, society as a whole can begin to heal these festering and legitimate wounds.