POINT OF VIEW
I found it difficult to believe that zoo workers consider the panda and the elephant to be the two most dangerous beasts which which they have to work.
If that be an accurate estimate, then it appears the two designated culprits have the world's best Public Relations teams working on their behalf.
I have heard, of course, that the elephant does have mood swings and that a usually docile, obedient pachyderm can be a weighty problem if aroused. No one needs demonstration of the consequence which might be caused by angering an elephant And, for the very first time, I realized that I have yet to see a photograph of man, woman or child, calmly petting a panda - a newly born panda cub, maybe, but not a full-sized specimen. So, until I find out differently, I'm going to avoid both elephants and pandas.
We seem to know so very little concerning the dangers which we might have to face at any moment, don't we? Aside from the beasts ,for a moment - what about other hazards with which we may contend? September 11th marks the date of such and event for which we were totally unprepared. Since that time, we have had numerous chances to learn many lessons which may help us to avoid any such tragic events in our future. How well have we learned our lessons? Or, have we learned our lessons at all? Do we see big ears and small ears? Which is which? Are you sure about that?
Are we seriously studying the potential minatory aspects of our trusting lifestyle, and failing to consider that the gentle panda bear may not be the gentle animal it appears to be to be, but rather a vicious demanding black hole in our universe working for our undoing? He nibbles bamboo shoots so meditatively and he or she has dreamy, far-away, look in the eye, but looks are deceptive. Are we too trusting of other nations; other peoples? As a nation,do we depend far too much on outward appearances? If I believed that the the panda was harmless, akin to a large Teddy Bear, and that the elephant was subdued as the Flintstone's lovable “Dino” and all but domesticated; if we had a place to keep him, then I can be easily fooled by a human pretending to be something other than what he or she really is!
I, for one, had best learn to keep my guard up a bit more.
I don't know so many things and any one of them could be my undoing. That's true, so often, for each of us.
A.L.M. April 6, 2003 [c448wds]
