Friday, February 3, 2017

Bullets to Beans: Setsubun and Pussy Hats


I was honored to be counted (749,999+me) among the folks who were marching for civil rights and against the horrific political regime that pretends to our federal throne. I am truly furious. No tolerance. No normalizing.


What is my course of action?

I've always maintained that guns don't kill people, bullets do.

If you're like me and never wanted to own a bullet, but do want to hurl something at the evil one(s), try beans!

In Japan, February 3 is Setsubun, 節分. As a means to cleanse the past and bring good fortune for the new year, folks go to temples and shrines and even in their homes, community centers, etc. People young and old throw roasted soy beans nicknamed fortune beans (福豆 [fuku mame]) from elevated stages while shouting, "Devil out!" (鬼は外 [oni wa soto]). "Good fortune in!" (福は内 [fuku wa uchi]). Meanwhile, attendees extend their hands, purses, shopping bags, even their hats, trying to catch just a few beans for fun.


Cool that the hair colors seem to match Dumph and Dumpher!






Get GOP hardliners to line up and catch those beans and take them to a place where they can be cleansed (or the closest radioactive waste dump).

It's like Purim, another early spring holiday (begun sundown March 11 this year), this time in the Jewish tradition, where we put the names / likenesses of the evil one on the soles of our shoes. Every time we hear the evil one's name uttered, we stamp hard on the ground.

(Setsubun images appropriated from the web for noncommercial purposes. The  shoe one is copyright by yours truly.)

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