I don’t find abusive relationships funny, but denial is an ugly thing.
There is some denial going on between us and our elected leaders.
See if you can find out who is who.
Sitting around a breakfast table are four people. A mother, an elder brother, a middle sister, and a younger brother are eating and trying to ignore one another.
"Mom," says Middle Sister, breaking the awkward silence. "We need to talk about Father."
"What about your Father?" she says over the coffee cup.
Middle Sister glances at the others and gathers her courage. "He's abusing you, and us, and I think you should get him out of the house."
Unperturbed, Mom asks, "How so?"
"Well, he spends all our money. He is always visiting his friend, Crawford. He’s never at home, except to receive his buddies. He picks fights with our neighbors and he and his friends are always spying on us."
"Oh now dear, he’s only trying to protect us." Mom coos. "We don’t want our neighbors over here fighting all the time, now do we? As for the money, well, he is the decider, he gets to say how our money is spent."
"But Mom," Younger Brother whines, "You make all the money with your jobs, why don’t you get a say in what happens to the money? By the time Dad pays for all his fights there’s nothing left for us."
"Well, honey, that's just the way it is. He's the one in command and what he says goes. There's nothing I can do about that. Now don't worry about the money. We'll pay off all those credit cards someday, and then you can have your share."
"Do you even know what Father spends our the money on?" Middle Sister asks.
"Yes...well, not all of it, but what does that matter? I'm sure he can explain everything when he wants too. You know how testy he gets when I ask him about such things. Let's not upset him!"
Middle Sister chimes back in, "But what about the fighting? Look what he did to Elder Brother! Father got Elder Brother into fighting with the neighbor. He tricked brother into fighting, then lied about it to you afterwards!"
Mother, "But he sent Elder Brother to a friend's place to heal..."
Middle Sister, "You mean Reed's house!"
"Yes..."
"But you know what happened there! His 'friends' took the money instead of getting medicines and stuck Elder Brother in the roach-infested basement."
"Father explained that it was just a misunderstanding about what they were there for. Don't fret so! Elder Brother is just fine!"
They both look towards Elder Brother with his still fresh and opened wounds and glazed over eyes.
"Besides," Mom states, "Elder Brother maybe fighting again, so why patch him up now? Let's wait to see what happens."
"And what about Dad's other friends. You know, the ones that spy on us and trash our bedrooms whenever they want. They've been taking some of my things!"
"They took my porn!" Younger Brother complained. "I think that lawyer friend must be reading it. He took so much!"
"So? They just want to keep you safe from the dangers of the world...and porn. What's wrong with giving up your privacy for a little safety?"
"Uh, we're not in any real danger?" Younger Brother answered.
Mom looks shocked. "Of course you're in danger! Father says so! He says that there are many, many dangerous evil people out there and only he knows who they all are!"
"Mom, he's lying to you again." Middle Sister said.
"What? Are you telling me that there aren't people out there wishing us harm?" Mom said with disbelief.
"Mom, they want to harm us because Dad is out there picking fights with everyone! And since he and his friends are the ones doing the bad things, doesn't that make them the evil people?"
"That's not the point! Don't you disrespect your Father! He may be incoherent at times, but he knows what is best for this family!"
"Can you at least tell him to stop fighting with the neighbors?" Middle Sister asks.
"No. I won't. I'm waiting. Someday he'll fight too much and some cop will come along and stop him."
Younger Brother states, "But Mom, you are the cop!"
"I don't want to pass any judgments on him! I love him." Mom said coolly.
"Can you at least pass judgments on his friends?" Middle Sister asks.
"No! They are just doing their job. Nothing wrong with doing your job. Besides we can't prove a thing!"
Younger Brother states, "There are letters between them that prove that they are doing wrong..."
Mom reshuffles in her seat. "He has already said that I didn't need to see those. He said that there was nothing incriminating in them and that I had no right to see them. And I believe him." Mom said nodding to herself.
"But they’re breaking into my bedroom!" Younger Brother complained.
"Now dear, you shouldn't be locking it in the first place." Mom said.
Middle Sister mocked, "Do they ever break into your bedroom?"
"Of course not! I’m married to your Father!"
Middle rolls her eyes. "When will you divorce him?"
"Well, maybe in a year or two..."
"Isn't that when he says he's going to leave you anyway?"
"Well, yes, but he still loves me...he said so time and again!"
Middle Sister sighs, "He's lying to you again! Remember all those times when you were gone and he brought 'others' into the house and appointed them rooms without your consent?"
"Stop dissing your Father!"
Younger Brother snorts, "He's not my real Father. Don't you remember the DNA test he showed you? It was written in crayon on your stationery stating, 'I is ur dad'!"
"All of you, stop it!" Mom cries, "Oh look, now I'm late because of you! Your Father will be angry if I take any time off from my job. I can't have your Father angry at me!"
Mom leaves the room. The three siblings look at each other.
"We need a new Mom." Middle Sister says.
Younger Brother mutters, "Mom says if we don’t support her, that she'll marry someone worse and can't be bothered to protect us from the new guy."
A fly buzzes around Elder Brother's open wound.
Younger Brother says, "She doesn't protect us now. She just lets Dad do whatever he wants. She never listens to us anymore..."
Elder brother drools, "Gooo toooo skooool...."
Middle Sister looks at him. "We can’t go to school. Father says that working as many jobs as possible will give us all the education we need. Besides, someone has to pay for all his spending."
The other two nod.