Horse races or rat races?
published: Monday | October 6, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:
WE HAVE a tendency to liken our political contests to horse races and it would appear that with the looming possibility for changes at the top of both political parties, there are rumblings within the ranks as the pretenders jockey for post position.
Our political leaders tend to set the tone and influence the mood of our country and as we examine the record of our politicians over the years one is prone to think that what we have been calling horse races have in fact been rat races. It would therefore seem appropriate as we approach the changing of the guard that we consider changing our metaphors as well. Maybe if, going forward, we regarded them as human races we would tend to remember and insist that civility, respect, honesty, humility, fairness, compassion, hard work, and goodwill are the pre-requisites for political office and maybe, just maybe, these seemingly forgotten concepts, once adopted, would trickle down and resurrect in all of us the better angels of our nature. One could then envision a seeping epidemic of peace, tolerance, and love breaking out and eventually engulfing our land. But alas, I dream. Forgive me if I've wandered too far down the yellow brick road. It was worth the thought. And at the back of my mind was this quote from Lily Tomlin: "The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat."
