Dear Editor,
Once upon a time, many years ago (1776-1812), there was built a
red brick house. It was an architectural masterpiece. The beautiful
red bricks were the mainstay and support of the structure. It was
built upon the solid foundation of Liberty for All. It was admired
throughout most of the world.
The Biblical ‘Fable of the Red Brick House’
Dear Editor,
Once upon a time, many years ago (1776-1812), there was built a red brick house. It was an architectural masterpiece. The beautiful red bricks were the mainstay and support of the structure. It was built upon the solid foundation of Liberty for All. It was admired throughout most of the world.
Time marched on. It took its toll on the red bricks. Instead of their solid red brilliance, degeneration began to set in. Some bricks cracked, others crumbled, and others fell apart. The degeneration threatened the entire structure and function of the red brick house.
The changes due to deterioration of key structural bricks were subtle and few noticed. However, there were a small group of citizens who did notice the degenerative changes in the red bricks, and understood the consequences for the entire structure and function of the red brick house. Before more deterioration occurred, threatening the whole structure, this group sought to find new red bricks to replace the deteriorating bricks that threatened the building’s structure and function.
The group went to the brickyard and brick oven where the bricks had been made, seeking new bricks similar to the original brilliant red bricks. None were to be found. The brickyard had only old discarded bricks.
Near the brick oven, they encountered the manager who explained that red bricks of the original caliber and color were no longer to be found. The formula for the brilliant original bricks had been lost. Since that time, they had modernized the oven: “New Math” had replaced the old 3 “R’s” – Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic. Situational ethics (nothing is right nor wrong, only insofar that one’s thinking makes it so) had been adopted. Much of the work and effort to create quality bricks was now directed to “developing self-esteem”.
The group was greatly disappointed that they could find no new red bricks of the original caliber and brilliance. They prepared to leave and noticed a rather large book lying on the windowsill, all covered with dust and enmeshed in cobwebs. They inquired as to which book it was. The manager explained that the old dust covered book was the Holy Bible and that it had not been used for years.
The group left saddened by the lack of any solution as to how to repair and restore the red bricks of the masterful brick house. They were a little consoled, however, by having gained insight as to why the brick oven no longer produced bricks of quality – the caliber of which had created the brilliance and strength of the world-renown red brick house. They knew now that there would be little improvement in function of the remarkable red brick house until that dusty, cobweb-encased old Bible was dusted off and put to work again – in plans and procedures for the brick oven.
Here’s the interpretation:
The brick house is the U.S. government. The red bricks, the main support of the house, are our legislators; the Congress, the Senators, and Administration. The brickyard and oven are our educational system, where the Bible is no longer found in education’s coffers. The group that observed the degenerating changes in the bricks and attributed it to lack of integrity in both the bricks and the oven manager, are known as conservatives. Unfortunately, there is no happy ending to this fable.
J. G. McCormack, Gilroy
