The Rifleman  

The Rock Squirrels at Crater Lake
from a post by Fred on appleseedinfo.org

    The locals call them "rock squirrels". To Fred they looked like regular chipmunks.

    On a recent Appleseed trip to the Northwest, he ran into them at both Mount St. Helens and Crater Lake; in each case, the poor things being pummeled with food by park visitors, despite the "$100 fine for feeding wildlife" signs.

    There were even some 'cutesy' signs, telling the animals not the accept the food, that it might harm their digestive systems. Guess someone in the Park Service doesn't like Doritos?

    In fact, more pictures (it seemed to Fred) were being taken of the 'cute little critters' than of six-mile wide crystal-blue Crater Lake, stretching to the horizon, or gigantic Mt. St. Helens, looming six miles away, whisps of steam drifting up.

    And it was at Crater Lake that a fellow tourist said the following to a group of fellow 'feeders':

     "The park rangers told me not to feed them.

    "They said, give them too much food, and they get lazy, and forget how to survive on their own.

    "Then they simply lay around on the rocks, sunning themselves.

    "And when winter comes, they die."

    So, naturally, everyone was feeding them.

    In fact, it looked like more people were taking pictures of the cute squirrels than the magnificent lake spread out before them, 1000 or more feet below...

    Now, there's a lesson here, for you.

    A parable, if you will.

    These squirrels are Americans. As American as you.

    After all, they were born here, in this country, on this soil - just like you.

    And that's your major claim to being an American, right?

    Certainly, the squirrels know and care nothing about liberty or freedom, nor are they aware of their heritage (if they have any).

    Again, like you. [Remember, this is addressed to SGN readers - I understand that being on this site, you may(!) not quite fit the parable, unlike 99.99% of your fellow Americans.]

    And the cause?

    Too much food.

    That's the cause.

    There's so much food in this country now that obesity is being gradually medicalized into a "number 1" problem.

    Too much food, and you grow fat and lazy.

    Too much food, and you forget what is important.

    Like how to survive.

    Like, how to think.

    You know, use that lumber room you have upstairs...

    When you don't use your brain, it atrophies.

    Goes to sleep on you.

    Becomes worthless.

    What is the survival value of "being stupid"?

    Sorry. This being a certified "kinder-and-gentler" site, I meant to say "slow thinking".

    Now, the park rangers did not say anything about predators.

    But I bet, if there were any, that fat, lazy, sleeping rock squirrels who can't move very fast and are asleep would be pretty tempting to them, huh?

    Now, ask yourself: are there any predators loose on this planet?

    Does the phrase "axis of evil" come to mind?

    Or does the word "Chinese" come to mind?

    Say the word "Chinese" and what comes to mind - I don't know about you, but it does to me - are words like "smart", "clever", "hard-working" - and "hungry" - not physical hunger, but a cultural "hunger" to be dominant, to make up for the past centuries of shameful submission to the West.

    Remember, these are the guys that 56 years ago pushed a US Army to near defeat (yep, the Joint Chiefs were dusting off plans to evacuate the Korean peninsula) - with captured Japanese rifles and machine guns, and a few mortars - and a lot of Chinese.

    In a preview of Vietnam, it seemed that firepower - air, arty, or anything else - could not stop the Chinese, if they wanted to pay the price.

    You know, it's amazing what little things come from too much food.

    As it goes with rock squirrels, so it goes with humans, seemingly.

    Bet you never thought you'd be compared to a rock squirrel at Crater Lake, right?

    Yet, it's a pretty good comparison.

    A lot of points that are simlilar.

    Which is why it is a parable.

    Now, the big question: If you as an American can't be differentiated from a squirrel, I submit you have a problem...

    Parables are supposed to make you think, to clarify things in your mind.

    Maybe this one will accomplish its purpose.

    But only you can make it do so.