It never ceases to amaze me who we're willing to shack up with when it comes to our principles (or lack thereof). Folks who normally wouldn't give each other the time of day suddenly become bosom buddies when they discover a common cause.
Now that's not all bad. Finding out that we have something in common with others, and then working together toward a goal can be a really good thing! Walking beside someone to raise money to help people in need, building "sweat equity" alongside others, working toward the advancement of the oppressed with people who look different or worship differently or believe differently--it's all good.
But what I'm talking about are those less than holy alliances, the ones that find us jumping into bed with the devil. Why is it that religious folks who disagree on just about everything else can suddenly join forces to further marginalize those who are already oppressed? Why do disenfranchised youth seek to associate with terrorists? Why do politicians cross the aisle for some issues and not for others.
I'm afraid the answer is obvious, albeit not readily admitted, and can be summed up in two words: self interest.
So the next time you roll over and find yourself in a deal with the devil, you might ask yourself, "Why?" And if the answer you hear yourself giving sounds more like self-justification than anything else, it might be time to kick that bad ass out of bed.
"You're known by the company you keep."
No comments:
Post a Comment