This cartoon by Ruben Bolling is from a few days ago, but sadly no less relevant today. Generations of Americans have grown up with Richard Scarry's books, which show the vim and vigor of a society with all sorts of people (shown as all sorts of cute animals) busy playing many complementary roles to make our shared world hum.The lawless siege of Minneapolis Bollen is describing represents a siege on the idea of such a society itself. Speaking of Minneapolis, I heard from my choir friend whose daughters teach in elementary schools there that at the public schools, parents are forming "human walls" at the entrances of schools to make safe corridors for children to be dropped off and picked up. I picture the whole Scarryian menagerie lined up there, warmed by their shared determination despite the icy cold.
