Unless Someone Like You

Do you remember the Dr Seuss book "The Lorax"?


The Lorax is about a boy name Ted Wiggins who lives in a completely artificial city. Everything is fake including the trees. Ted has a crush on a local environmentalist Audrey who wants to see a tree more than anything in the whole world. So Ted leaves his city on search of the "Once-ler" who he heard knows about trees. The "Once-ler" promises to tell Ted about trees if he listens to his story over multiple visits.

The "Once-ler" recounts the story of how when he was a young man he parted his family to find good material for his new invention. The key to his new invention was one of "Truffula" Trees in the forest.

It is here in the forest that the "Once-ler" meets the Lorax. He is the guardian of the forest and declares many times, "He speaks for the trees." The Lorax warns the "Once-ler" to leave the forest or he will be doomed. However, he does not listen to the warning. Instead, he does what any good capitalist would do and cuts down as many trees as he could, as fast as he could, so he could become as rich as he could.

Yet,one day, the forest was destroyed. There were no more trees or animals. And intense fog and smog covered the land. The Lorax leaves and only leaves a stone-cut word: "Unless"

At the conclusion of the "Once-ler"'s story he understands the meaning behind the Lorax's last message. He then gives Ted the last "Truffula" seed in hope that he can plant it and make others care about real trees once more.

A few more things happen. The bad guy is defeated. The hero gets the girl. They sing a song about planted trees and "letting them grow" and we are left with a challenge.

We are told,

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not."

Wow, what a great message.

So are you more like the "Once-ler" of the "Lorax"?

The "Once-ler" consumed. He used. He didn't care about anyone but himself. But the Lorax cared. He cared about the animals. He cared about the trees. He cared about generations way beyond his himself.

We can take this discussion in a few different directions.The most obvious direction is that of the intention of Dr Seuss: Care about the earth and take care of it. Because we only have one.

And I agree. We should take care of the earth. We should recycle. We should use reusable resources as often as we can.

But I want to talk about something else. Or rather someone else. People.

 Yesterday we remembered September 11, 2001. It was 15 years since that crazy day. A day when many people "came back" to God. or at least to "church" Because you know when disaster comes it is at least good to know that God is on your side. Just like with the Civil War. That is why we have "In God we trust" on our money. We figured if we were fighting a war we should make sure that God is on our side.

 There is great injustice in our nation. (in case you have been sleeping). And don't get me wrong I am proud to be American. I love this nation. I have only ever been to three so I don't have much to compare her to but I like it here. But we have a long way to grow.

We see this most evident when people like Colin Kaepernick exercises his First Amendment right to not stand for the National Anthem and gets mocked by the media. Listen, I would not have done it that way, but either everyone is free or no one is free.

I am glad he stood up (ironically) by sitting down (or taking a kneel). We need and should desire social change. We should desire it by peaceful protest. Because if people don't stand up then the powerful people only get more powerful while the oppressed only get more oppressed.

I am not black. Not even close. I am very very white. But we need to stand for the rights of others. And Yes, in case you were wondering, "Black lives do matter." Isn't that what we want as a country?

Just because Muslim terrorists attacked our country 15 years ago we should not label every Muslim a terrorist in the same way I would not want to label all Christians "bigots" because some are.

But the truth is: We, like the Lorax, need to stand. We need to speak. Why? I am not being oppressed. Well, not yet.

But you might one day and you will wish that someone stood up with you. My hope and my prayer is that you will be filled with compassion and empathy this day.

Pastor Martin Niemölle said it this way.......

"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

 

 

So there ya go. You might not be a socialist, you might not be a Jew, or a homosexual, or a Muslim, or Black, but you are some thing and you are someone. 

And you either fight for someone to have justice or allow for them to be oppressed. 

 

 And.....I want to see our nation become stronger and for each individual to have "liberty and justice for all." But.......

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not."