SNEETCHES ON BEACHES

I've always loved the Dr. Suess books, and one of my favorites is The Sneetches. I believe if people really stopped to think about this story and how silly the story is, and how the Sneetches were worrying about dissimilarities that really had no significant meaning whatsoever, the world would be a better place.

The story is basically this...Some are star-bellied sneetches, and some have "no stars on thars". The star-bellied Sneetches look down on those without the stars. They don't invite them to parties, they laugh at and loathe the no-star Sneetches for no real reason other than the abscence of the star. The star-bellies are "the best Sneetches on the beaches."

So one day a chappie named Sylvester McMonkey McBean rolls into town. He has a contraption that will put stars on the bellies of the downtrodden no-star-havin' Sneetches. Of course they fall over themselves to pay McBean to put the stars on their bellies so they can be like the other Sneetches, be popular and accepted. Well then the star-bellied Sneetches get mad and decide the stars are not the way to go so McBean offers to remove their stars for a fee. They all pay to remove their stars and decree the no-star Sneetches are the best on the beaches. This goes on and on until they are all mixed up and no one really remembers who was with or without the star and they really can't say which is better....

"Then, when every last cent of their money was spent, the Fix-It-Up-Chappie packed up and he went. And he laughed as he drove in his car up the beach, 'They never will learn. No, you can't teach a Sneetch!'

But McBean was quite wrong, I'm quite happy to say, the Sneetches got quite a bit smarter that day. That day, they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches, and no kind of Sneetch is the BEST on the beaches. That day, all the Sneetches forgot about stars, and whether they had one or not upon thars."

Why do some people feel the need to insist they are the best Sneetches on the beaches? Religion, race, sexual orientation, age, income, political views, etc... So many stars we have upon ours! The Sneetches had ONE difference and it was a huge issue. We have many differences and to my knowledge we have yet to conquer one. Sylvester McMonkey McBean would be making a fortune off of us.

Here is a thought. What if we were not separated into countries and different ethnic groups and different groups in general. What if we were all just considered earthlings. We had no animosity towards other earthlings, perhaps only to non-earthlings...Venusians, Martians, Klingons, Darth Vaders, etc. What if all humans on earth worked as one to build a better society and advance further than our neighboring planets and galaxies, and even those planets and galaxies you and I have never even heard of. What could we have become if all our brain power was focused on bettering the Earth instead of separating ourselves from each other. Then what if we even took it a step further to have one galaxy. One galaxy learning, growing, evolving, without the conflicts over who has stars and who doesn't. I should think there are enough stars out there for everyone to enjoy.

Me, I'd be happy just being a Sneetch on a beach...Star or no star down thar.

PEACE