Accents
See, hear, speak 'evil' – for the GOOD of it!
Rudy and I are planning to buy a bottle of wine to toast in the graduation dinner for our grandson James Raphael who will graduate this coming Sunday from the Beacon Elementary School here at Oakland, California. We thought Pinot noir that bears the design of the three monkeys--each with the hands covering the eyes, ears, and mouth, respectively, would be just right to inculcate some lessons to the young man on his way to adulthood. What better subject to dwell on than the proverbial see-hear-speak-no-evil admonition the monkeys represent -- unwittingly a misleading concern even by people dear to us.
Well, on this milestone in the grandson's life, time to impress the "evil" that these monkeys on the bottle convey. And so I had to emphasize in plain words, with examples drawn from the recent elections merry-go-round, that the see-hear-speak-no-evil monkey of a message casts a bad influence. Promotes the attitude of indifference which, ironically, is itself evil. Advocates neutrality that, in many instances, is nothing but opportunistic fence-sitting.
See-hear-speak no evil? I'd like to cite a teachers' dialogue of long ago where some members of our faculty association kept mum for the entire duration of the proceedings. There was one who continuously read (must be racing to the end of a suspense novel) -- and you recognize the stereotype who goes with the tide of popular opinion without examining the pros and cons and makes others think for her and do the voting for her.
Speak no "evil"? There are those who would hush you with their forefinger covering their mouth when you become too outspoken. The dissenting opinion, even if reasonable, has to be stifled because it will ruffle feelings? So you have to be tightlipped and, by your silence, perpetuate an unjust order?
Found yourself in the midst of a labor strike? Take up the placard and intimidate the scab who won't respect your picketline. He/she is snatching away the food from your children by weakening your bargaining power against management, see?
Evil to whom? Meat or poison to whom? Assert your stand and let the chips fall where they may. March and ruffle all those feelings. The greater good remains the deciding factor to see, hear, and speak "evil." The suggestion you make could be a valuable food-for-thought. What you write on the placard is evil to the boss, but the same could contribute to organizational growth.
I say, enough of the naivete, smug complacency and the hands-off unconcern. Enough of the see-hear-speak-no-evil prig and their ilk who acquiesce to a faulty status quo. Humankind is the better because there were those who refused to close their eyes. The history of civilization is replete with stories of questioning minds driven to action by a belief regarded wrong during their time but later turned out to be the ultimate truth. Preachy? Just handing down my own grandmother's pronouncement. (Believe me, she belonged to the ahead-of-her-time type.)
Some things need to be driven home again and again, don't you think? Especially to the young: listen, speak up, do something. And love this bromide: Have the courage of your convictions. (Gush, methinks I sound like a commencement speaker in some graduation ceremony.) Furthermore:
Be "evil" enough to repudiate the mind-set of the neutral person who actually contributes to stagnation and decay with his/her see-hear-speak-no-evil norm of conduct. Repudiate the simplistic "Yes," an anachronism in this day and age of the information superhighway. Be counted as good "devils" by attacking bigotry, violence, and exploitation in whatever form they masquerade.
By speaking our minds, we turn off the other fellow, even make "enemies" when we strongly defend our choices. But what we lose in goody-goody friendship, we gain in respect both from those who agree and disagree with us – which amounts to much more than a goody-goody relationship.
Therefore, to the brotherhood and sisterhood alike, when in your very heart you believe something to be truly good and beautiful, say so, take a stand because, oftentimes, you are right.
And to you, James Raphael, when you get to be a grandfather, I bet you would be saying the same things to your grandchildren: See, hear, speak "evil" -- for the GOOD of it!
(Comments to lagoc@hargray.com)