The yellow brick road

THE State of the Nation Address is up.

And for many gotta bes, wannabes and never gonna bes, the SONA, especially this one, months before the filing of candidacy, is going to be a show of political colors.

But of course, the color of the day is yellow. Obvious as it may be, it is after all the ruling party’s (Liberal, not UNO, at least not yet) color.

However, I want to take you along the yellow brick road. Pardon the geek in me for I have just finished rereading “The Wizard of Oz.”

Dorothy was declared a “heroine” when her house, after a terrible tornado, landed on the Wicked Witch of the East setting the munchkins free. As reward, Dorothy was given silver shoes with powers.

Thankful as she was, Dorothy wanted one thing and one thing only, to go home to Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. The Good Witch of the North tells her to travel to Emerald City, ruled by Oz. Oz will help her get home. All she had to do was to follow the yellow brick road.

Along the way, Dorothy meets Scarecrow. Scarecrow had no brains.

They meet Tin Man. Tin Man had no heart.

They meet Lion. Lion was a coward.

They all follow the yellow brick road to the fantastical Emerald City and ask Oz for a way home, brains, heart and courage.

Wishes granted, the heroine goes home to live a normal life. All she had to do was click her silver shoes three times. The three others go home to rule over their lands.

Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, to me, could be members of a political party. But sadly, there is no Oz in the country where their likes could go. But their likes rule anyway. Unfortunately for us.

And Dorothy’s magical silver shoes? Gobbled up by gum; the hard and very sticky kind.

And that gum could be, by far, the worst kind of politico we, by some bad luck, step on along the yellow brick road.