War, That's Not War !

Ma and Pa Mockingbird ruminate over Libya, War, NATO, world politics and martial law.

Ma and Pa Mockingbird are perched atop a live oak tree.

 

Like most Mockingbirds, they have the innate Gift - the Blessed capacity to Listen to all of the other Birds’ songs, chirps, tweets, whistles and squawks, and Create over a thousand original Songs of their own.

 

Mockingbirds are amazing natural musical instruments.

 

“Pa, what in the world are you singin’ this morning’ ? asked Ma Mockingbird.

 

Pa Mockingbird shook his feathers proudly and answered, “Why, that’s Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.”

 

“What ?”  Ma Mockingbird squawked.

 

“It’s a human tune I heard from one of their blinkin’ light boxes while flyin’ by some human’s window last week,” explained Pa Mockingbird.

 

“The human’s call that blinkin’ light box a t.v., Pa.”

 

“Know-It-All,”  Pa Mockingbird retorted.

 

Choosing to ignore Pa Mockingbird’s grumpiness, Ma Mockingbird continued her inquisition.  “What are those gutteral burps you keep makin’ every now and then during Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture  ?  Mind you, I’m not sayin’ they’re not rhythmical.  The burps are just startlin’ amongst all of the other notes in the Melody.”

 

“Why, Ma, those are cannon shots.  Yep, it’s a little human diddy I Chose to make my Own.  I’m stretchin’ my horizons,”  Pa Mockingbird preened.

 

“Why did you Choose to ’stretch your horizons’ with a Song about War, Pa ?

 

“See those two old humans playin’ dominoes on the porch of that ole storefront ?”

 

“Of course, I do.  Like you, and every other Mockingbird, I have remarkable peripheral vision, Pa.”

 

“Well, while I was casually flyin’ by, I heard those two humans arguin’.  So, I decided to rest a while on the porch railin’.  I’m no eaves dropper, but I heard them yellin’ about a War, that’s not a War.”

 

“Why, there’s no such-a-thing, Pa.  War is War.”

 

“Not according to some Whitehouse where a lot of so called  big wigs live and Do Business, Ma.  According to the two disputin’ humans the Whitehouse is claimin’ that the War, that’s not a War is a Kinetic Action Somethin’ or the Other.”

 

Ma Mockingbird hurumphed, “Where’s this Kinetic Action Somethin’ or the Other takin’ place ?  Not in Our Neighborhood, I Hope !”

 

“Some place the humans call Libya.  Never heard of it before.  Never flown that far.”

 

Ma Mockingbird being curious by nature decided to query Pa Mockingbird a little further.

 

“Are the humans shootin’ and bombin’ one another ?  Are there burned and destroyed Homes and Businesses ?  Are there stinkin’ human corpses lyin’ around everywhere for the Crows and Vultures to pick at ?”

 

“Are Mothers and Fathers cryin’ and wailin’ in agony over the loss of their Sons and Daughters ?  Their Fledglings ?   Their Brothers and Sisters ?”

 

Are the humans’ guns spittin’ out bullets and their flyin’ machines belchin’ out bombs ?  Is there ruination and devastation created and left behind by Humans and Machines of War ?”

 

“ Just for your information, the flyin’ machines are called airplanes, Ma.  And, yes, takin’ into account everything I heard comin’ from those two arguin’ humans down there, I’d have to say that’s a pretty fair assessment of the Situation - of the Kinetic Action Something’ or the Other”

 

“Then it’s War.  Plain and Simple,”  Ma Mockingbird trumpeted.

 

“Well now, Ma, somethin’ else those two fellas argued about was a Global Group they called NATO. 

 

The two humans kept disagreein’ about something’ they called a precedence being set.  The precedence goes something’ like this. 

 

As long as NATO gives the ‘thumbs up’ - gives permission for all of the other countries around the Earth to shoot and bomb - to kill and destroy a particular group of humans they don’t like - they don’t agree with - or they determine to be mishavin’ in one way or another- then all of the rest of the humans can call War, that’s not War a Kinetic Action Somethin’ or the Other. 

 

That way no one country bears the brunt end of the Blame or the Cost. 

 

It keeps all of the humans who might get their tail feathers into a spin from knowin’ who to hold directly responsible for any War, that isn’t a War. At least, for now that is.”

 

Ma Mockingbird put her tail feathers into an uncommonly ferocious tailspin.

 

“Well, Pa, if the humans refuse to call War - War, then they’re openin’ up a rank and very troublesome can of wriggling’ worms.  They’re making it possible for this thing they call NATO to grab unlimited powers to do whatever It wants to do in the future - as long as they don’t call it War.

 

The World is filled with Kinetic Action Somethin’ or the Others.  Every time I flap my wings that’s Kinetic Action Somethin’ or the Other.  

 

 The Kinetic Action Somethin’ or the Other of spittin’ out bullets and belchin’ out bombs to kill and destroy other livin’ creatures - particularly in Mass - is just plain foolishness !  Just plain Destructive Foolishness for the humans and for the rest of the World !”

 

What are the NATO humans really up to ?  The Right to Rule by and through Worldwide blanket Martial Law ?

 

Intervening in the problems of others is always problematic.

 

I have never known any outsider to mess around in the problems of a family or tight knit group and not get burned.  Not get tar and feathered.  Not get Scape-goated. 

 

Nations and countries react in many ways just like families.

 

The humans really need to Think this one out.

 

You mark my tweets, Pa.  There’s more at Play here than just the makin’ of  Libyan Crow’s and Vulture’s meat in the name of Humane Intervention or some lunatic dictator‘s maniacal hubris. 

 

Many of the humans may be good intentioned, but there’s a hidden rotten Egg in this Nest the humans are featherin’.

 

The humans need to get together nationally and globally, and really Talk, and Work this conundrum out.  Lay all of the Cards and Rules of the Game out on the Table.”

 

Pa Mockingbird suddenly lowered his head and stopped his Song of War.  He began to Sing another Song.

 

“Are you tryin’ to shut me up, Pa ?”

 

“No, Ma.”

 

“Then what Song are You Singin’ now ?”

 

“It’s another human tune I picked up, Ma.  ‘What Kind of Fool Am I’.

 

Ma Mockingbird smoothed out her feathers and joined Pa’s song with a human lament of her own.  “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child‘.

 

After a few moments passed.  Ma and Pa Mockingbird shrugged their wings and flew off cheerfully whistling their last human Song for the Day, “Listen to the Mocking-Bird, Listen to the Mocking-Bird…..”