One of the strengths of American democracy is the concept of one man, one vote.  Our country was founded on that principle, and the republican democracy has survived and mostly thrived for more than two centuries.

One of the conceptual swords in our democracy is founded in the notion that the minority will not suffer tyranny by the majority in silence.  Whether that is a sword that cuts both ways, though, that the majority will not suffer the inanity of the minute, is the subject of today’s missive.

The story is from the Columbus Dispatch, and has to do with a skeleton, a law library and someone’s precious little snowflake.  As it happens, the library owns a 5 foot tall, 200 bone skeleton, and on occasions throughout the year the library dresses “Fred” for display.  A pirate’s outfit, with a baseball cap to promote games between the Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds, those sorts of things.

Rockin' Fred

The lawyers who use the library use “Fred” for research in injury lawsuits or during depositions, and otherwise as a playmate.  Oftentimes, “Fred” will be discovered wearing Ohio State Buckeye necklaces or Mardi Gras beads.

“Fred” has been locked up in a cell of late, though, and hasn’t been able to come out to play with anyone.  Oh, he didn’t misbehave or disobey, and it’s not for punishment, either.  “Fred” has been the subject of a complaint from a neighbor of the library, and has been relegated to prison because of it.

Seems the neighbor has precious little snowflakes who found “Fred” a wee bit too frightening just as he is.  The neighbor complained because “Fred” is scaring her children.  It was the first complaint ever received by the law library in the two years since “Fred” has been a fixture.  The only one, although the mother is by far not the only neighbor.  Yet, the library crumbled and capitulated.

So, “Fred” spends his day in a cell, out of sight, forbidden to lurk near any window.

Never mind any chatter about letting your children face their fears.  Never mind the notion that facing our fears helps us grow and mature.  Never mind Nietzsche’s notion of that which does not kill us makes us stronger.  Never mind it’s just a damn skeleton and can’t hurt anyone.

We’re talking about precious little snowflakes who should never be exposed to anything they might at first find frightening.  We’re talking about a parent who’d rather shelter her children from any and all things scary rather than do her job and help her children face fears.

Harvest Moon

You’d think it being a law library that some clever lawyer would find a way to get “Fred” out of jail and back into action.  Perhaps no one has called the public defender’s office yet.  However, one friend of “Fred” has stepped forward to express his upset with “Fred’s” harsh and unfair treatment.  He’s a friend of few words, but his actions speak volumes, directed, we suspect, at the precious little snowflakes’ mom.

I think it’s called the “Harvest Moon.”

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