by Brandon Jubar

The Truce Hurts

I think part of the appeal of some of the old cartoons is that they mimic real life. At a certain level, even the most absurd have a nugget of truth in them.

I just spent about an hour watching Tom & Jerry with my five-year old, Kaleb. He and his brother both love the show. With a minimum of dialog (and none from the main characters), it's ideal for little boys. The two of them will sit there giggling -- even cackling at times -- as Tom and Jerry enact their ongoing battle.

Gina and I have explained to them that the "violence" is all in fun, and that they can't really do those things to someone without hurting them. So far, they both seem to understand. (Of course, the other comforting thought is that I grew up watching Tom and Jerry, and I turned out reasonably well.)

As I watched today, however, I noticed something that I hadn't before. I had always assumed that Tom was the "bad guy" and Jerry was the "good guy"... but that's not really the case. Though Tom is usually chasing Jerry, the little mouse is not always innocent. In fact, he is often the instigator.

One episode we watched today was called "The Truce Hurts". Tom, Jerry, and Butch (the bulldog), all signed a truce and decided to live peacefully. Things went fine for a while, but selfishness eventually reared its ugly head. The end of the episode found them back in the exact same position as they were in the very beginning -- bopping each other on the head with various objects.

When I look at the world today, I tend to quickly categorize things along the "us and them" line. Then I make the intuitive leap: us = good them = evil

Unfortunately, I think the world is more like an episode of Tom and Jerry. When you get right down to it, it's not always clear who's right and who's wrong. And like the old saying goes, war doesn't decide who's right... it decides who's left!

As I watch the political maneuverings and international intrigues, I find myself praying that Hannah and Barberra aren't directing or writing the script. That way, we may have a chance at someday achieving some semblance of peace. Unless of course selfishness once again rears its ugly head, and we find ourselves right back where we started.

What were those words of wisdom again? Ahh, yes... the truce hurts.

Peace,
~Brandon

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bjubar@ParishWebmaster.com

Copyright 2002 by Brandon Jubar
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