by David Safier
Once again, I find myself reading two new articles on the Redistricting Commission nomination farce starring Adams and Pearce (Howie Fischer's, and Mary Jo Pitzl's in the Republic), but when I strain to hear a word from Democrats in the stories, all I hear are crickets.
Which leads me think about that famous cricket, Jiminy. Remember him? Pinocchio's conscience? He didn't really do much in the tale. He just reminded the wooden puppet about the importance of telling the truth and doing the right thing. Which, after all, is what consciences do. They remind us we can ignore them, but we do so at our own — and often at others' — peril.
Which leads me to think about the position elected Democrats find themselves in here in Arizona. Their numbers are small in the legislature, so their votes aren't worth much. But they still have voices, which they use to remind the Pearce-led Republicans and the people of Arizona that the Rs have a duty and an obligation to do the right thing for the state and to tell the people of Arizona the truth.
It would be naive of me to expect the elected Rs to listen to the Ds very often. Which is why it's so important Democrats be allowed to speak to the people of Arizona by being given a voice in the media equal to the voice given to the Republicans. A conscience, or even just a contrary opinion, is only valuable if it can be heard.
Which is not to say, of course, that Democrats are Jiminy Crickets. Hardly are they free of guile and politicking. They have been known to tell stretchers on more than one occasion. But if, as in the famous tale of the wooden puppet, Democrats' noses grew when they told lies, they might resemble The Shnoz himself, the great Jimmy Durante.Their noses might grow a bit out of proportion with the rest of their faces, but it wouldn't take a Disney cartoon to depict them.
Democrat pols have something — call it a conscience, call it intellectual integrity — that inhibits them from venturing into the realm of the totally outrageous. Republican pols, on the other hand, lack something — maybe they get a scruple-ectomy when they decide to run for office — which allows them, nay, encourages them, to tell The Big Lie.
To move the metaphor momentarily from facial characteristics into the realm of crime: Democrats might shoplift a Snickers from the local 7-11 now and then, but Republicans knock over banks and steal the life savings of little old ladies without a second thought.
Republicans at their worst, in fact, are very much like Pinocchio at his most mendacious, where his nose grows so enormous, it's big enough for his conscience to perch on it and warn him of the consequences. Would that Republicans listened to their Jiminy. Would that they were like the cute-but-naughty wooden puppet who learns his lesson. Wouldn't it be nice if they turned into real live boys human beings with hearts and minds and consciences at the end of the story?
To sum up: Instead of the sound of garden variety crickets in articles about Republicans' blatant power grabs and outrageous lies, I want to see journalists do their duty and be more than stenographers for the likes of Russell Pearce when they write their articles. Instead of giving us nothing but the sound of ordinary crickets, I want journalists to allow their readers to hear the Jiminy Crickets — Democratic pols as well as others who can bring their expertise or their experience to bear — presenting another point of view.
Jiminy himself says it better than I: Always let your conscience be your guide.