MORALISING CARTOON

CARTOON WITH SOME MORAL

As nations unite once again in one heart and one voice to celebrate football (soccer) at the 2006 World Soccer Tournament, tagged “Germany 2006,” one cannot help being attracted to one unique advertisement which, as far as I can tell, has some moral to inculcate. The message of forgiveness, reconciliation, tolerance and unity of purpose or universality seem to be imbedded in that one cartoon. It depicts a butcher about to cut into pieces a bird that he has already (un)dressed. There is a laboratory scientist about to inject some substance into a guinea-pig. Talk about an inflated balloon about to be pierced by some prickly plant. And there is a stoutly dwarf who embraces in jubilation, some gigantic and muscular neighbour who had invaded his privacy. The cartoon also depicts a lumberman who, halfway through hewing down a forest, had to change his mind as he and the tree engage themselves in a warm embrace to hail a winning team. For the sake of the nostalgia of football, these characters had to literally bury the hatchet and hold their antagonists in warm embrace. Each and every one of us has a right to life, to __expression of our emotions and sentiments among other rights. How many do exercise these rights let alone know them is the big question that does not yet have a satisfactory positive response. Try extending a warm handshake or a peck, why not a hearty embrace, if you can. To the extent that you exert warmth towards your guest, the same measure will you feel.