The Emperor was wearing a Yamikah
By Barbra-renee Brighenti
Al-Jazeerah, September 28, 2005
As I waited for sleep to roll over me like a fog that covers all the meandering loose thoughts of one's day, I happened to think about the boy who pointed out that the Emperor had no Clothes. But that was not the end of the story, was it? No, the story continued, but only ancient scribes, from the clan of Nerds, knew the true ending, the ending that the masses (traumatized by ADD), refused to remember. For the Emperor, in the glory of his full monty, alas was wearing a Yamikah, and that is what the poor lad called out, "The Emperor is nude, except for a Yamikah!" His knights in arms, better known as the 4 Kaisers, spinned to his rescue. How dare you look at the Emperor in all his vain glory- your eyes are not suited to question such splendor- the chosen one may not be seen by the mass of gentile people. (He did say gentle people didn't he?) For the people, ashamed for looking at his beastly royalty, (everyone was too horrified to ask what had happened to the mutilation between his legs) and getting a terrible shock of reality, hung their heads and were whipped by every broadsheet in the land. But the young lad, whose name was Ernst, exclaimed even one step further, "Those 6 million chariots of fire that you say surround the Emperor- why, they were not there! And another young lad, I think they called him David I., shaking his slumbering head and rousing himself as if from a horrible dream, screamed out loud, "The Emperor isn't even a man, but a lizard!" Both lads were taken off; one is rumored to have been put in a prison far away, the other we hear escaped. The masses of forlorn destiny started whispering among themselves, "Did you see,... perhaps... is it true-, where were the Emperors clothes and where were the 6 million Chariots of Fire and what was that thing on his head ?."- but the implication of it all was too much, except for a few, those who sat in front of a blank screen (very much like a crystal ball ) and moved their fingers as if pounding on rocks, sending nets across the lands, trying to gather and share information about this unusual occurrence.. Unfortunately the four Kaisers had their own web, (knotted in lies and half truths by none the less than the Grand (W) Lizard himself, Freud. Adept at switch and bait, smoke screens, black opts and massive guilt, Freud summoned all the Gate Keepers of the land, and pronounced the ultimate truth, "Divide and Conquer". Soon all the world was adept at splitting hairs, often referred to as the period of the Talking Heads.
The Emperor meanwhile soon disappeared into the land of "Is Real", and paid his court jesters well: some became presidents, some prime ministers, some were given direction to unteach, unlove, and unhealth. They were called the UN's. Soon sex slavery and commercials and psychotherapy were fitted into the department of religion, while abortions, war and capital punishment were called the Roman Coliseum. The highest ministry of the land was the University of Orwell. The art of deception, double-talk and logical fallacies were esteemed, and one could always tell their graduates- they were given the Yamikah to wear, a sign that the Emperor himself approved.( And yes, soon the mutilation of the Emperor's private parts was explained away and became the hottest fashion ). Allegories were written, some about the Land of Oz, where the master was a dwarf behind a screen, and all one had to do was to know oneself to come out of the dream, but these were assumed to be children's tails and not much else. Publications sometimes appeared about the force of love- hidden under the safety screen of pure science, - but the hints of alternative views could not stand against The Book.
The Book was a strange thing. People lived their lives seemingly on the Book, but never had read it. Those that read it were usually from the University of Orwell, and well, no-one ever understood anything after the school explained it. It reportedly talked about Love. But the Emperor used the Book to hit everyone on the head with, and thus Love became a thing of fear. It was assumed to be true that the Emperor was the only one who could really understand the Book, after all it was his book. When the Book said to Love Thy Neighbor, the Emperor would gleefully annihilate all his neighbors and state that he had sent them to their Heavenly Father, to live in lands of mansions and happy hunting grounds. All would have to agree that this indeed was a loving gesture. It was rumored that indeed the Book stated Thou shall not kill, but thanks to the understanding of the Emperor and his ministries, all but the very simplest understood that this statement was not what it meant. And who could really disagree? The Emperor was chosen, his people were chosen, and his Book said so! It even stated where they were given title to land forever; and the Emperor was so gracious to explain many, many times, about his chosenness.
And the knowledge of the 6 million chariots of fire were sown into the very cloth of legend, each day a new hero's tale of the 6 million tales would enthrall and enchant and intoxicate the masses. The 6 million took the status of mini-gods, who exacted revenge from any and all. Soon each and every group quaked in fear. Would the tale today from the 6 million point the finger of fate at them? Holding one's breath, the world trembled as each new tale spun and cast the dye. The people of the blue eyes were the first. Then the people of the blond hair, then the people of the brown skin, then it was the people of the sands. On and on it went like a roulette wheel. If your group was touched by the 6 million chariots of fire, even the gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair for the sins of your forefathers was not enough. Penance was given out. Retribution was demanded and given. The masses were worked up to the point that group was fighting group, father against son, wife against husband, each and every group the finger of guilt pointed at were hounded by the foam clenched mob of Hollywood producers.
There were warriors. Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter went up against the Emperor and the ministers. After his elimination, the Emperor declared him as one of his own, one who unfortunately didn't finish the course curriculum at the University of Orwell. Even with the massacre of his followers, time and again one heard the whispers about a man from Nazareth who stood his ground. But the sands of time and the etiquette of misinformation had erased all but a few stories of this great man. Indeed, it was the style for a long while to picture this warrior as an effeminate man who carried around sheep! Then of course there was Mohammed, a man of integrity and honour. His group, further from the seat of power, was able for a short time to turn man's eyes inward, to learn the lesson of life, but again, the sands of time, and corruption of the Emperor's shadow bought, killed, bribed or threatened his followers into submission. Alas, the Emperor had made Mohammed's name synonymous with Satan, and the shadow of darkness befell the truth once again. On and on the story goes. Each great warrior, one sometimes two from each land, came to unshackle the feet of mankind, and always their presence left a fragrance of love. This fragrance drove the Emperor crazy-allergies it seems. The stronger the fragrance of truth and love, the crazier the Emperor became. In re-reading this era, it is so easy for us to see the strength of the truth by the illness's the Emperor exhibited. Louder came the 6 million chariots of fire, louder the pretend screams of the endless victims, holding the spotlight close to their chosen breast. No thought of care or concern was allowed if not directed at the Emperor. And remember, he had the Book to prove it.
Fear like the greenhouse effect covered the world. The living dead cowered. The prophets came and went. The people learned to substitute family and love and community and respect and honour and integrity and intimacy. They learned to speak with double-talk, and learned how not to think. The paradise of water and sky and mountain soon turned to sluggish green gray. But the people had the bubbles and bangles they desired, those momentary glitters of deception that are so similar to Chinese food. You only feel full for a moment. Greed and lust walked the path of power. And absolute power corrupted absolutely. Even the remaining ones, whose talent and gifts should have given a breath of air to the dying race- they too sold their souls in the end. Holocaust became the prima donna.
Yes, we all know what happened after that. But remember, mankind had to hit rock bottom. They had to choose. The one that turned information to wisdom, which shed their fears, along with the bangles and beads, truly turned inside, they were our forefathers. The clan of Geeks, the rock pounders of the net, the teachers and prophets. They all understood, it was fear that kept the Emperor and the 6 million Chariots of Fire alive. Fear was the aroma they drunk on. Fear of death, fear of starvation, fear of loneliness. Love was the antidote. Every teacher had taught it, every Master lived it. But it took the owning of one's own "I AM', before the light was turned on.
I thought of that little boy who shouted out," But the Emperor is nude, he only is wearing a Yamikah". He had the answer right!
Barbra-renee Brighenti, Sarasota, Florida
