Mr. Scapegoat

It may appear slightly surprising to mention the book of Leviticus in the same sentence as the former leader of Fianna Fail, Mr. Brian Cowen. However, it is in this famous Biblical  book from the Hebrew scriptures where one reads for the first time about the Scapegoat.  I think it is appropriate at this time to dwell on this term and then to draw ourselves towards Mr. Cowen's fate as Irish Leader.

During the build up to the Day Of Atonement (Yom Kippur as it is commonly known now), where the Jewish people prepared themselves for God's forgiveness, a goat would be released into the desert with all the sins of the people. It symbolised freedom from sin and an opportunity to turn to God and gain his favour. The poor goat as sacrifice, ambled about until he collapsed under the weight of the Jewish sun and the sins of the people. Without water it would perish.

The word 'scape' is an abbreviated version of the word 'escape'.  Our sins have escaped by and through the goat. We have no more responsibility for our wrongdoings and reconcile ourselves to Yahweh or Elohim.  The goat dies. We live.

I am not advocating any political point of view. It is apparent though  that Mr. Cowen has been told to look for water not only by the public, who in turn are fuelled by the media, but also by his own political buddies who wish now to throw their sins and misdemeanors on to our vulnerable sacrificial goat leader.

The former leader of FF may indeed be the author of his own misfortune. Like every body else he has limitations. However, there has been in recent weeks, if not months, a vile and aggressive arrogance by the media towards the leader of this country. Too long now has this apparent free press given up its noble principles regarding fair news journalism to instead replace it with personal attacks on Mr.Cowen .

 How Mr. Cowen looks or weighs is of no concern to me.  What he drinks or doesn't drink isn't of primary importance, nor is his personality or where he is from.  After all, most of us are overweight, drink too much and the rest and journalists aren't exactly noted for their sober lifestyles. Especially Irish ones. What's more troubling is we as a people have angrily bayed for his blood also. Yes, Mr. Cowen was the sinner who brought down Lehman Brothers, Spain and  Greece, brought in the IMF and every other European who wanted cash at very high rates of interest.  It was he alone who brought down the Western World.

All we did was drink Lattes on our decks whilst reading the property sections (Big earner for 'quality' papers I believe) knowing deep down inside that one day we would find our very own goat. Yes, as we stand in our ghost estates, knowing that even Green pastures would no longer be available for the unfortunate Billy, we should acknowledge, especially those in contact professionally or otherwise with Mr. Cowen, that sending out an animal to die is ugly, two- faced, inhuman and wrong.

Indeed, all of us need to recognise this, if we are to still value our beautiful nation and the people within it.  We also need to face up to our part in this debacle. Together we need to search for water to survive. Otherwise the burden of the past 13 years will destroy us all.   All we have to do now is follow the members of the Fianna Fail party to the well, somewhere in the intense heat.