|
|
The
Wall
The
General Assembly could use a little help with its conflict resolution skills.
Visualize
a structure, a wall made of rock and concrete.
It is a thick wall — ten feet at least.
No, make it twelve.
It is twelve feet thick.
It is not very high.
Let’s say eight feet.
Nor is it very long — about fifteen feet.
So, really, what we’re looking at here is a
block of rock and concrete fifteen feet long, eight
feet high, and twelve feet thick.
The
Virginia legislature is on one side of this
structure. A
budget resolution is on the other.
To get to resolution, the legislature simply
must get to the other side of this structure.
There are no rules on how to do this —
choices — but no rules.
They may go over it, under it, around to the
left, around to the right, or through it.
Let’s see. That’s
five. There
are five choices. But
no rules.
There
are no time limits in this matter.
The legislature can take as long as it wants.
Sure, in terms of energy and effort and such,
"sooner" would seem to make more sense
than "later."
But that is just an observation.
It is not a time limit.
The legislature can take as long as it wants.
Members
of the legislature may use whatever tools they can
bring to hand in getting to the resolution side of
this block of rock. There
are no prohibitions on what they may use.
They may use talk, humor, threat, referenda,
polling, letters, appeals, broadcasts.
They may use advisers, soothsayers, palm
readers, consultants.
They may use prayer.
They may use intimidation.
They may use spells and brews and
incantations. There
are no rules of prohibition on what they may use.
Finally,
they must get to the resolution side of that wall of
solid rock. Not
getting there is not an option.
There is no alternative scenario.
They must get to the other side.
No matter what it takes.
No matter what it costs.
No matter the time.
Failure is not an option.
So
what do they do, these members of the legislature,
these folks we’ve sent to represent us?
They
huddle up. Visualize
here a football game huddle — in a circle, heads
leaned in, arms draped across each other’s
shoulders. They
huddle for a long time — 60 days — discussing
their options, the merits of their choices — one
of which they must use.
When the huddle breaks, it is obvious that
they have chosen.
They telegraph that choice with odd behavior.
They
go to the wall, take 25 paces back from it, and turn
and face it in a line.
The spectacle takes on magnificence.
It is a sunny day.
The sky is cloudless and bright blue.
They stand there in a flawless line facing
this thick rock wall.
Then, on a silent cue, they charge.
Heads down, running as fast and as hard as
they possibly can, they ram their heads into the
rock wall.
It
is not a pretty thing to watch.
Heads are split.
Skulls are cracked.
There is bleeding.
Lots of bleeding.
The legislators sit dazed in the dust.
“Well, this obviously didn’t work,”
they think to themselves.
“We need a better plan.”
They
get up, dust themselves off, wipe the blood from
their foreheads, spit out broken teeth, and return
to the huddle. It
is the same kind of huddle, circled, heads leaned
in, arms about each other shoulders.
This time there is nodding.
The murmur of their discussion can be heard
from some distance.
They are getting somewhere.
And
then the huddle breaks.
Again
they go to the wall, but this time they step off 50
paces before they turn to face it in a line.
Still, the sight is magnificent.
The sun is bright.
The sky is bright, bright blue.
Heads split, skulls cracked, they stand
proudly in this line.
On silent signal, they charge again, heads
down, running twice as hard, twice as fast.
Again they ram their heads into this wall.
Heads
split, skulls cracked anew, they are dazed again,
but now are more determined.
Again they get up, dust themselves off, wipe
the blood from their foreheads, spit out more broken
teeth, and return with resolution to the huddle.
There is more nodding, louder murmurs.
This
time when they break from the huddle, they step off
75 paces before they turn, heads down, in charging
mode, and face this wall of rock...
--
March 29, 2004
|
|
