Every Picture Tells a Story (David Glenn Cox)

David Glenn Cox -- World News Trust

Oct. 13, 2009 -- When I first saw this picture I was so shocked by it that I paused for a moment and moved on, but then I had to go back to it. It says so much about these people and their thought process. Close your eyes and pretend that instead of dressing as Native Americans they are in black face, and the woman’s sign says, "Dem taxes be too cotton pickin' high!"

Or imagine them dressed as Orthodox Jews, and the sign says, "Oy vey, enough with the high taxes already! Be a mench!"

Or dressed in green leprechaun outfits, "I’m mad as a drunken Irishman and twice as ready to fight high taxes."

But they appear to be totally clueless as to their racist characterizations. Only the little boy has his back turned, and I suspect he knows that someday he will discuss this photo while in counseling.

The little girl’s sign says, "Paleface taxes too high," and the boy's sign says, "Let little brave keep wampum."

These people are smiling for the camera; they are so angry and upset about their taxes that they dressed up their children like Halloween. They are clueless to their racial stereotyping of Native Americans. Clueless that the paleface butchered many little braves and took from them much more than their wampum.

But that is why this picture tells so much more than it ever intended, because it really explains the tea bagger movement. The proverbial picture worth a thousand words.

Check out David Glenn Cox's recent novel, The Servants of Pilate.