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An Equity Fable

Sent by John Flynn from an author who wishes to remain anonymous

Once there was a small island full of people who loved to dance. The government of the island noticed that most of the islanders had to dance on a rocky hillside – There were a few plush places down by the beach but, for the most part, only tourists got to dance there. So the government sent out a survey and asked: “Do you want to dance in the rocks?” And most people said no. So the government issued a declaration that dancing on the rocky hillside was now forbidden.

So the islanders asked: “Where will we dance?”

And the government answered: “Well, you can buy a piece of land without rocks and dance there.”

But the people said: “We can’t afford to do that.”

And the government said: “Yes, but you said you didn’t want to dance in the rocks.”

And the people said: “Yes, but we do want to dance.”

So the government issued a proclamation commanding that the people who cared for the rocky hillside:

“Clear all the rocks so the people can continue to dance.”

The people who cared for the rocky hillside, who loved the rocky hillside, were dismayed because they didn’t know how they could possibly clear the land. They didn’t own the equipment. They weren’t even sure if the equipment existed on the island. They loved the dancing. They had begun to take care of the land because they loved the dancing. They had no money.

The people who cared for the rocky hillside went to the government and said we don’t think we are able to clear the land for the dancing – we would like to help because we all are dancers and for many, many years we have done our best to provide a place for the islanders to dance.

The government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks.”

And the people who care for the land said: “but they do want to dance.”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks.”

And the people who care said: “Did you tell the people there might be almost nowhere to dance if they don’t dance in the rocks?”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks. If you want to continue to provide a place for people to dance you must clear all the rocks.”

The people who care said: “We would like to help but we do not think we have the money to clear the rocks.”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks.”

So the people who care for the land went back to the hillside and told the dancers there that soon there would be no more dancing.

The dancers asked: “Why?”

And the people who cared for the land told them that the government said that they, the dancers, said they did not want to dance in the rocks. This caused great confusion. There was much discussion about what had been said and what had been meant.

Finally one dancer said: “But as long as we choose to dance here we can, can’t we? The government can’t be telling us we can’t dance if we want to dance.”

Most of the dancers thought this was a very good point and so the people who care for the land went back to the government and said: “The people who are dancing on the hillside have said they DO want to dance, even if they have to dance in the rocks.”

But the government said: “There are other dancers who don’t want to dance in the rocks and we have to listen to them.”

And the people replied: “They don’t have to dance there if they don’t want to.”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks.”

And the people who care replied: “But some people, many people, do want to dance.”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks.”

And the people replied: “So the people who don’t want to dance can tell the people who do want to dance that they can’t dance?”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks. If you want to continue to provide a place for people to dance you must clear all the rocks.”

The people who care said: “Many people have cleared small portions of the hill so the dancers can dance. They have promised people they can dance there. People have paid to see the dance. People have spent their whole lives clearing what they can on these little patches of land on the hillside.”

And the government said: “The people have spoken. They don’t want to dance in the rocks.”

So the people who care said: “Are there any alternatives?”

And the government said: “We are going to allow the people to vote but we’re going to remind them that no matter how they vote the decision is ours to make.”

So the people who care went back to the dancers and said the dancers who don’t dance have told the government that you shouldn’t dance either. The dancers were amazed. They couldn’t understand. Why would the dancers who don’t dance care. Why wouldn’t the government let each dancer decide for themselves?

The people who care for the land said: “We think they think that if you stop dancing here some of us who care for the land will go buy property on the beach so you can dance there.”

The dancers were dumbfounded. They looked at each other. One couldn’t help herself and she began to giggle. Soon all the dancers were laughing. The one who had first giggled finally drew in a sharp breath.

She said: “This government does not understand who we are. The ministers do not understand why we dance. How can we talk to them? What can we do?”

Her dancing partner said: “We must vote so they understand that before they change who we are and what we do they must understand who we are and what we do.”

There is a better way. Vote no on the current Equity proposal.