There was a violent terrorist attack in America. Hundreds of people were killed. Government leaders got together to try to come up with some way to solve this problem.
Then the president said, "I've got an idea." He arranged a meeting with Arab leaders. He asked them to invite representatives of terrorist groups. When they were all together, he said, "You know, we really just want to be your friends. Why can't we all just get along?"
The Arab leaders stared at him in surprise. "You want to be friends?! We thought you hated us and wanted to kill us."
"No, no," the president said. "I think there's been a terrible misunderstanding. I know my predecessors said some mean things, but they were just upset. They didn't really mean it."
"Oh my," an Arab leader said. "This is very sad. So many people have been needlessly hurt."
"Of course we will stop the attacks at once," a terrorist leader said. "We just want to be friends, too."
Then they all had a big group hug and sang Kum-Ba-Ya together. Everyone promised to throw away all their weapons.
As the president was about to leave, one of the Arab leaders asked him, "Do you think maybe the Jews really just want to be friends, too?"
The president smiled and suggested, "Why don't you call them and ask?"
And everyone was happy and war and killing was ended forever.
© 2011 by Jay Johansen
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