Wednesday, October 16, 2002

Let's explore points of view

By BILLY MURPHY
Laugh Lines

There is this new TV show called "Boomtown" that is unique in that it looks at a particular crime from many different characters' points of view.

I remember when I was a kid there was an "Archie Bunker All in the Family" episode that did the same. It retold the story three different times from each person's perspective. Each story was totally different, as seen by each character. Each character, as he told his story, came off as totally right with everyone being the "bad guy."

All of us are like that whether we think so or not. We tend to only see things from our particular angle and feel that is "truth." As an illustration, I thought I would tell a very familiar story, how I think different people would tell it. The story is "Little Red Riding Hood."

From the point of view of a Republican: "Once upon a very desperate time in our nation's history, when the Democrats were in control, there was a certain young lass who didn't realize her peril. She wouldn't have been in such peril had gun laws not been so restrictive.

Upon entering her Social-Security-supported grandmother's house she was shocked and amazed to see her grandmother missing, only to be replaced by a wigged, pajama'ed Bill Clinton. Legend says the Big Bad Wolf paid for his transgressions, but in reality he's now making a million dollars a pop at speaking engagements."

From the point of view of a Democrat: "Once upon a certain economic downturn time, caused by the Republicans, there was a depressed young lass who had to travel immense distances just to feed her indigent grandmother. It was a dark, polluted, hopeless time without any good, public transportation.

"Little Red Riding Hood was only saved through a crime bill that stopped the Big Bad Wolf from carrying a gun. Legend has it he was axed, but it was only the gun control laws."

From the point of view of the Nightly News: "'Breaking news tonight as Once Upon a Time was anything but! Just as Little Red Riding Hood thought she was out of the woods, tragedy struck. We have Lisa Sellers live at the scene ...'

"'Yes, Tom, I am live, standing in front of what is now being called Grandmother's House. This was the scene of a breaking and entering, a kidnapping, and a subsequent picnic gone bad.

"'Sources tell us that hardened criminal, Big Bad Wolf, forcibly entered the property, tied up Grandma and proceeded to try and devour Little Red Riding Hood. Devastation was only averted when who is now being called a local hero intervened. In a sad twist though, family members of the deceased Big Bad Wolf are threatening to sue the local hero for wrongful death. Back to you Tom.'"

Any other points of view?

[Contact Billy Murphy at billy@ebilly.net.]

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