In our family, one very wise Grandma
Beulah always encouraged everyone to
read. She sent newspaper clippings with
every card or letter. She passed out books
to the kids, especially when she believed
the book carried a special message. It was
about 1987 when she gave the children
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss. In
this story the Yooks are firm believers
that bread should only be eaten with the
butter side up. The Zooks on the other
hand believe just as strongly that bread
should only be eaten with the butter side
down. The book, which was banned in
some states, portrays how far people will
go to defend their beliefs, even to war. The
Butter Battle seems silly yet in the story
the Yooks and the Zooks are even ready to
deliver destruction upon their opponents
regarding the matter, or as Seuss called
it The Big-Boy Boomeroo, a metaphor,
seemingly meant to represent weapons of
mass destruction.
Discussions of politics and thus
differences of opinion have been held
among friends and relatives since politics
began. I remember a late summer evening
in 1968 when our neighbors, Chuck and
Judy, knocked at the door. With a sixpack
of beer in hand and homemade signs
in hand bearing “Hubert Humphrey for
President,” the neighbors shook their
signs when the door opened. My parents,
avid Nixon supporters at the time,
laughed whole-heartedly and invited
them in. They left their signs on the porch
and discussions turned to commonalities
instead of differences. They shared the
beer and plenty of laughs that evening.
They didn’t seem to let their differences in
political beliefs rule their friendships.
I overheard someone say, “I used to
like so and so.” But it seemed that was
not so much the case after hearing their
political view. I hope they still remember
all the other reasons they (used to) like
that person. As the political scene heats
up, hopefully we will still all remember
our neighbors and friends are just that,
neighbors and friends, not political rivals.
