A few days ago, I wrote an allegory, “Rise Up Old Mules“, with the full intention of reviewing comments and following up the next day to see if people still held the knowledge of coded writing. [Idalia delayed my review]
An allegory is a literary work that makes extensive use of symbolism in order to communicate a broader moral or meaning. Nearly every aspect of an allegory—from characters, to objects, to dialogue, to settings, to major plot events—can typically be interpreted as having a secondary, symbolic meaning that fits into the allegory’s broader meaning.
In the writing of our forefathers, and even many writings long before and a few still today, allegories were/are used to convey messages publicly that are interpreted with a silent understanding. They were/are essentially coded messages from rebels, insurgent dissidents, in various societies who were working within the boundaries of government review.
You may have vague reference points from similar formats of communication that took place in various prisoner of war camps.
How do POWs communicate when their captors are constantly monitoring their activity? The never spoken language of POW’s in a prison camp has a similar allegorical communication style.
The best allegories communicate from a factual reference point about subject matter, but then weave the current context or power conflict within it so as not to attract the understanding of censors, monitors or those in power who seek to stop any form of communication that is against the interests of the oppressive regime.
It is a communication style lost over time as successive generations no longer taught or had need for the skillset to understand the implied message. However, in this modern era where six corporations control all media; where there is direct collaboration between the government censors and social media platforms over content; where arbiters of acceptable speech under the auspices of “disinformation review panels” are now deployed using both human review and automated intelligence; it is worthwhile revisiting the old ways to understand a method of discussing rebellion in public.
There is one big benefit to the deployment of AI search spiders crawling all over the internet to analyze and identify subversive speech. AI cannot detect allegorical writing patterns, it never will. Current AI sweeps, crawls and searches are based on human inputs to create the pattern context the AI is launched to discover.
Y’all know, I test weird stuff in the tech communication space just to probe how effective the new mechanics are, and create strategies around their constructs. Allegorical writing was designed to communicate subversive information in the sunlight of public presentation. Historically, human censors could not see the implied meaning in allegorical communication, and the content itself – if correctly structured – carries an inherent deniability.
From my review, about half (+/-) CTH readers understood the implied meaning, about half did not. Approximately 10% were absolutely clueless, and a few even found the inverse meaning within the story.
Approximately half of the CTH audience picking up the implications within an allegory is much better than I expected, much better. This is an interesting outcome, although given the high intelligence and specific demographics of the CTH family it makes sense.
My point is this: teach your friends and family, especially the younger family members, how to understand coded public messaging and what context frames the cornerstone of how it is delivered.
The old ways are going to be important if a few strategically placed voices are going to be forced to mount a successful counterinsurgency against an entire UniParty system, that aligns with an oppressive regime.
Mules = soldiers.
Exceptional Mules = special forces.
Collars = rifles.
The silent wise men at auction = leadership (think founding fathers).
The fields = the battles.
The farmers = YOU!
[Perhaps Re-Read With New Eyes]
If mules = soldiers, I would not want to be a mule in Ukraine.
They’re being treated like mules.
We are all mules; tax mules, breeding fresh cannon fodder as we once were.
The Biden administration Tuesday announced it plans to send $250 million in additional weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in support of the country’s counteroffensive in the capital city of Kyiv.
The Associated Press reported that the weapons and ammunition will be pulled from U.S. stockpiles, as per the U.S. State Department, and will include equipment to clear mines along with rockets and artillery rounds.
Doesn’t Congress have to vote on these “gifts” to Ukraine?
If the House controls the purse strings, they should be able to stop it.
Getting harder to cover up the greased palms of government! Congress gettin’ a big pay raise!
hahaha…Ukraine doesnt have any soldiers.
There is no war in Covid either btw
Speaking of Covid… WE need to maker our voices heard that we will not take any vaxxes or boosters. The people who feel vulnerable to complications due to “flu” (like those with COPD, CHF, etc ) need to stay home as much as possible to minimize their risk of catching the flu.”
The rest of us need to do whatever, to keep on living; yes, even the healthiest among us may come down with a “corona” infection ,(AKA the common cold, the respiratory flu). Find out how to access HCQ and Ivermectin and stay home while you are sick.
If we do not stand strong against what we know “they” will try to demand of us (vax, booster, masks, lockdowns , etc) then they win.
It’s US or THEM. And Now or Never.
With their vaccine damage it will kill more of them than us.
(Obviously the democrats are mental cases)
To those who try to Cajole you to take the vaccine just tell them “that this page is intentionally left blank.” And leave it at. Walk away and let them ponder the significance.
I Will Not Comply !
That is the mantra
That is the action
How do I access HVM and ICQ?
Some mules are pack mules
They would be packin’ then i imagine
They enter a meat grinder, they are referred to as–the butchers bill.
God has already blessed you, Sundance.
May he maintain his vigilance.
You are needed, he knows it – we all know it.
Stay strong and holler if you need back-up.
I’m an Australian and we have some hellish restraints we must work under…
But, there are collars and there are … collars!
I find it sad that the GOVERNMENTS of UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are jumping onto this NWO/WEF platform.
I understand that it is not the populace in support of these crazy “rules” to rein in the citizens, you.
Hopefully, the Populist, MAGA people of the USA will put a choke hold on this madness.
Collars indeed.
I wonder how many Austen and Owen SMGs made it back to your fine country in duffle bags. And of them, how many still wear their outlaw status as they remain hidden. Both designs are still just-good-enough, eighty-some years after being fielded. And the world still uses their caliber in spades.
I’d really like to see pics of the SMLE rifle with the blast direction pan at the muzzle and linkage from it to run the bolt action without user input. Necessity is the mother of invention, and that one was a good crude invention. Never did see if it would work for very long.
It is never easy is it Will Beattie.
To win we must stop being limited by our restraints and start giving our attention to what we can do and need to do how and what we need to accomplish and counting up our strengths.
We have them, the enemy also has many weaknesses and limitations.
God Bless America and the free loving people all over the world.
I got it! Queens and dragon, and the mules plowing a straight furrow.
One more thing: When I read “What comes after amen . . .” in the mule allegory, I immediately thought of what Sundance said about good people bowing their heads and praying for wisdom–and after “Amen,” the evil people won’t like what comes next.
Our problems with the communists may be short lived – it seems to me they’ll be offing themselves before they can do much more damage. This seems the inevitable solution because their cartel bureaucracy has paralyzed the functions of the Republic and they have no function of their own except greed. This kind of Stupidity equals elimination from the gene pool.
And that’s what we’re starting to see everywhere we look. I hate seeing young people drop dead (and they’ve been taken advantage of and murdered) but what percentage of them are communists – what do you think? at least 90%? And again the carnage in the inner cities probably near 100%. The war in Ukraine that’s another 100% category. Drug and alcohol abuse 85%, etc. etc..
Lord Jesus, please forgive me my sins, that’s all it takes.
“Pop goes the weasel”
I understand. It will be true in communicating things of God as well. This is very wise. Patriots will need to become disciplined, prepared, brave and resolute. Thank you Sundance. Thank you, Thank you.
There may well be a time again, when drawing a fish in the dirt, becomes the method of identification/greeting, between Christians…
I’ve got basket jewelry specifically as a visual signal if deplorables notice it.
We ladies could make charm bracelets fashionable again. When PDJT was running in 2016 I put together one that had baskets and lions.
I don’t know how many people actually know about this event and the plight of coal miners in the early part of the 20th century. Not much is taught or written about this important chapter in our country’s history. But, it fits in this discussion. It is a long story, but I will give a short synopsis as to what happened.
In 1921 Southern West Virginia a civil uprising called “The Miners March” culminated into “The Battle of Blair Mountain”. Ten thousand union coal miners marched from Kanawha County to Logan County to “free” the miners of Logan and Mingo counties from the tyranny of corrupt “elected” authorities and their coal company controllers. The miners were met with a Logan County Sheriff’s army at the crest of Blair Mountain.
During the march, in order to identify each other, the marchers tied red bandanas around their necks. This was a “code identifier” to weed out any Baldwin Felts Detectives, State Police, coal company thugs or Logan County Sheriff infiltrators at the time. The miners were referred to as “Rednecks”.
Just like would happen today, the Federal Government sent WWI ace Billy Mitchell to drop bombs on the miner’s army and Federal Troops to end the conflict, which to this day remains the largest civil uprising since the actual Civil War. Many miners being WWI veterans, did not want to fight the army and gave up their efforts.
The leaders of the “insurrection” and 525 marchers were charged and tried for treason. It was a long drawn out process with some conviction, some acquittals, and some convictions set aside by the WV Supreme Court. (see chapter 13, 14 & 15 of the book by Howard B Lee “Bloodletting in Appalachia”)
The events and subsequent “lawfare” of those days will seem eerily similar to what is going on today. However with one big exception. J6 was a peaceful protest being used by TPTB as a pretense to take out Donald Trump and to stop his supporters.
In the Armed March of 1921 and the subsequent Battle of Blair Mountain, there were over a million rounds fired. The treason trials of the aftermath were somewhat more justified than the fake J6 “insurrection” narrative of today. However, the intend is the same.
Although the miners did not look upon their actions as treason, the State of West Virginia and the corporate/monetary/ political powers of the coal companies saw it as levying war against The State of West Virginia and its constituted authorities. Hence, the charge of treason in its constitutional meaning.
Evil may win a few battles but goodness and righteousness will win the war.
Have faith and stamina and stand strong against the cabal.
Tonight, at the Green Dragon.
Yesterday……at the farm.
Hard times bring great blessings, it’s all temporary. Hell, even our lives here on this plane are temporary.
You talk often of perspective, see God in everything. Strive to see God in all men even if you reduce them to a newborn baby, find it. That’s God in us.
I was the inverse for a reason Sundance. I know the traffic I drive in.
Uff, I could feel you were talking in parables and metaphors with the mule story, but I was nowhere close to translating the code. I did not picture soldiers and battles. I’ll work on it.
Knowing the transition, I understand crystal clear.. I’ll look for a book on this.
I understood but didn’t comment; I was too busy sharing it with others. It was superb.
Thank you for the wisdom you share and the cooling embers you stir to flame once again.
Greetings Sudance and Treepers. I join with you several times a day but rarely post as I have nothing new to add. My Treeper friends say it so well. I read your coments, I nod and agree with you and even understand when I may disagree with a comment.
“Rise Up Old Mules” and now “What Comes After Amen” makes me chime into the discussion as I come from Missouri, known for its mules. My father grew up on a farm in rural Mo and had many mule stories to tell. I grew up in Kansas City and loved going back to visit family who still farmed. For those of us who know stories of the mules and have seen them work quickly grasp the coded writings. For me the picture was very clear.
Blessings to Sundance and the CERT crews as you begin your life saving work and blessings always to Sundance and the Treepers during these most difficult times as you help us to understand what lies ahead.
Peace.
Marching on
Men and angels sing
Onward Christian soldiers
God needs the Overcomers
Nice!
God has already blessed you, Sundance.
May he maintain his vigilance.
You are needed, he knows it – we all know it.
Stay strong and holler if you need back-up.
Those on the Left in America are neither smart nor secure.
They have encouraged the anarchy and self-destruction of their strongholds in cities.
Their desperate acts against their conservative enemies demonstrate they live in constant fear and their fear causes them to make stupid mistakes causing terrible backlashes they have not considered which are counterproductive.
People this stupid can be easily lured into ambushes which they cannot survive.
But they are not the ones that will be fighting. The ones that have encouraged the fighting are far away from those that will
be instigated. As Jesus said, Forgive them for they know not what they do.
It is the elite, the media, the politicians, the Deep State that knows exactly what they are doing.
They are the evil forces that need to be not only defeated……but destroyed. Either by us……or by God.
gnome,The manipulators who govern Leftopia are narcissist. Grifters for sure, but more about the arrogant grandeur of self.
Lie, cheat, steal and worse.
And as you have written above also fail to notice when they dumpalump in their kitchen
So no matter how hard and rocky the path gets, we just need to keep on plowing toward the goal of a better garden by choosing the perfect gardener.
Love it! Definitely using this strategy!
I must admit I didn’t get all of the text and context match.
I just felt the call to arms but I have felt this way since our President walked down the escalator at Trump tower.
My kin helped start this great country.
The Armor of God is on us. Onward Christian Soldiers.
At the ready.
Invaluable tool. All aboard!
Scrolling the home page, I just noticed how much the DRAWING of PDJT, on the Presidential thread, looks like his mug shot; SAME expression, just a little more intense, for the mug shot.
Ulysses Grant thought mules ornery. He would think I am also ornery Grant was a quiet man.
Grant had a teamster tied to a tree because he was whipping mules.
I suggest that you all read the inimitable Matt Bracken’s 2012 short story, “What I Saw at the Coup”. It’s not long, but very pertinent to the days in which we live.
http://ncrenegade.com/editorial/matthew-bracken-what-i-saw-at-the-coup/
He has published several books that could easily be describing the next ten to fifteen years.
2 to 4 at best, imo
He sometimes posts here. Haven’t seen him in a while though.
Could not go to page 2, had read it a while back and liked it. WordPress suspended the account and you cannot read the next pages. F them!
Here:
https://www.americanpartisan.org/2020/09/bracken-what-i-saw-at-the-coup/
Its been taken down for violation of their rules. If you have the entire thing saved, please share.
This should do:
https://www.americanpartisan.org/2020/09/bracken-what-i-saw-at-the-coup/
English Lit studies. Passed.
I think of the symbol of the fish for Christians.
The Wonderful World of Oz by L. Frank Baum is an allegory.
L. Frank Baum’s series of 14 Oz books, from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900
to the posthumous publication of Glinda of Oz in 1920, was phenomenally successful.
However, the series has been either attacked or ignored by librarians and critics. The
books were removed from the Detroit Public Library in 1957 because, in the words of
the library’s director, “There is nothing uplifting or elevating about the Baum series.” In
1985, the Children’s Literature Association, an international “scholarly” organization,
produced a list of “Touchstone” books, “the best works for children of all time,” and left
Baum completely off its list. Why? Perhaps it’s the hidden message in the books: read
between L. Frank Baum’s lines and see various images—some not so complimentary—
of the United States at the turn of the century.
http://barnesreview.org/pdf/TBR2003-no1-4-12.pdf
Yes. Anyone who wants to understand allegories should read this series.
I have a copy of the originals handed down by my grandmother, a schoolteacher. I have treasured them for years, as does my daughter.
The link above implies that Professor Littlefield’s essay is from 2005: in fact, it goes back to the early 1960’s and opened up people’s eyes to the story as political commentary in the guise of children’s fantasy.
“…Hugh Rockoff suggested in 1990 that the novel was an allegory about the demonetization of silver in 1873, whereby “the cyclone that carried Dorothy to the Land of Oz represents the economic and political upheaval, the yellow brick road stands for the gold standard, and the silver shoes Dorothy inherits from the Wicked Witch of the East represents the pro-silver movement.
When Dorothy is taken to the Emerald Palace before her audience with the Wizard she is led through seven passages and up three flights of stairs, a subtle reference to the Coinage Act of 1873 which started the class conflict in America.”[13]
Ruth Kassinger, in her book Gold: From Greek Myth to Computer Chips, purports that “The Wizard symbolizes bankers who support the gold standard and oppose adding silver to it… Only Dorothy’s silver slippers can take her home to Kansas,” meaning that by Dorothy not realizing that she had the silver slippers the whole time, Dorothy, or “the westerners”, never realized they already had a viable currency of the people….”
Yes, in the book Dorothy has obtained Silver Slippers. M-G-M changed the color to ruby, because that color was impressive for the Technicolor part of the movie.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_interpretations_of_The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz
Reminds me a bit about my time in the Navy serving aboard submarines. While on West Pac’s there was always a time when you were unreachable (about 30 days). During those times wives were allowed to send messages to their loved one on board. Of course those messages were read and filtered if necessary. Did not want bad news like the death of a family member or a miscarriage to someone stuck in metal tube with many others. There was also some sensitive news that you may not want to share with those that initially received the messages as well. The wives were taught to send coded messages to prevent such news from being filtered. It may be as simple as the cat is pregnant when you have no cat. Most were meant to only be interpreted by the recipient.
DUUUUUDE
IMA GONNA CALL MY MULE “BLUE MOON”😎
There are over 200 types of figures of speech in the Bible.
Not 200 examples, but types. Each type has at least one example, others have many more.
In other words the Creator’s Word, which He values higher than anything else, including His name, is filled with obvious, and non-obvious meaning.
Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter
It is certainly not dishonest to communicate this way.
Then He bent down and continued writing on the ground with His finger. John 8, verse 8
The POW ‘s in Vietnam had a system of tapping on the walls, that would convey specific messages between cells, it was very effective.
I also had a setback with idalia. And Ian last year. I used those as an allegory or metaphor today on my Facebook post, Michael Henry( also GETTR & ts) Those storms are nothing compared to what the totalitarians will do if we don’t stop them. and using some allegories, isn’t gonna dent them. The simple solution is defeating the enemies’ number one weapon, the Goebbels like media. However, maybe it’s not so easy to get the Light of truth to the masses. But that’s where we can meet to talk out a plan.
SOS is no longer used, they said it was outdated.
Six dits separated by 3 dahs is universal cry for help. Short and to the point!
Short, Short,Short…Long, Long, Long….Short, Short..Short
I understood perfectly what Sundance was getting at, though I am surprised he actually listed it above.
Another allegory using mules….
An old but experienced farmer was having trouble with a mule one day who would not follow the old farmer’s commands. Despite the farmer’s repeated directives–louder and more forceful with each command–the stubborn mule would not heed the farmer.
At last, exasperated and out of patience with the mule, the farmer went behind the farm and came out with a large stick that had been specially whittled for such occasions by the farmer. The old man looked at the mule, drew back the stick and gave the mule a tremendous whack on its head that buckled the knees of the mule, nearly causing it to fall over.
After regaining its balance and attention, the farmer calmly issued his command and the mule immediately obeyed.
The moral of the story? The farmer just had to get the mule’s attention.
For those who persecute us, despise us and wish us dead, we need to get their “attention”. Perhaps the only way to do that is to force a Road-to-Damascus epiphany on them; a sort of OMG, what have I done revelation that causes them immediate regret and remorse.
In real life if you did that to your mule he would wait his chance. One day, perhaps months or years later, when you bent over to attach the trace chains he would take careful aim and kick your head off,
Well, I for one, an ashamed of myself. I have a background in this stuff and let myself get blown away by cursory review instead of deep reading; and misinterpreted.
It won’t happen again.
My apologies.
Nothing to be ashamed of: I also simply took it at face value and saw no reason – immediate or otherwise – to assign real-world entities to the symbols of the story.
I was more interested in the final question: What happens after Amen?
Answering that question I find to be much more valuable than assigning real-world aspects to things in the story.
Same here and yes a background in this so to speak. But I am more a white hat bull in China shop type communicator.
Conservatives use “mule” while retards use “dog faced pony soldier.” Our coms will be much swifter.
…the retired mules gather in their own barns. Many have plowed many fields. Yokes don’t bother ’em. Ready any time at the crack of a whip by the farmer. New crops rising.
Im in tune brother…
I was in the USSR in 1986. Communism is knocking hard on our doors. Most are clueless.
Cold Fury served best dispassionately. No need to get upset, it’s just wet work. They, Them or You, We, Me.
Ask God afterwards for forgiveness if you need to.
1861 to 1865 was a bloodbath. Anyone think it’s going to be different this time is ignorant of humanity and history.
I pray to be ignorant as long as possible,but It’s not working.
genearly.substack.com
Sundance, you left out plows. Plows=results.
It’s time to beat the plow shares into . . . well, you know the rest!
Here’s my allegory for America, courtesy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer …
If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.”
Joe Biden’s puppet masters has America on the WRONG TRAIN … hurtling headlong to its death
The MANIC PACE Of The DESTRUCTION is CAPTURED In This July 10 1982 Concert Performance by Ian Anderson
WILD EYES and DRIVING SOUND –> EXCELLENT CHOICE of MUSIC for the Subject Matter Kenji !
Martin Barre at his best! And I DO
and to further the allegory … “Charlie’s stole the handle … and there’s no way to slow down” Charlie is just another one of Joe Biden’s online aliases.
Well we must all jump off one by one!
We need to open Gideon’s Bible at page one … we need to Give God the handle …
Geese … let me finish my thought …
I DO love the way Ian Anderson takes dramatically loud breaths between his hard flute playing
I think Jon Voight has a good idea about what needs to be done after Amen:
Jon Voight Slams Biden’s ‘Corrupt’ Administration, ‘Disgusting Scheme’ Against Trump: ‘This Is a Civil War’ (breitbart.com)
We have to get the mules ready to roll.
Picks, hoes and shovels in mass covers a lot of ground.
Can’t find my copy of Washington’s Crossing, but I remember the account of the effect the reading of Psalm 35 by Rev. Jacob Duché had on the First Continental Congress on September 7, 1774. The sad fact is that most churches don’t pray Psalm 35 anymore, not in corporate worship, anyway. Maybe if we did, praying, “Contend, O Lord, with those who contend against me,” the Almighty would answer.
https://tinyurl.com/bdy6j4rm
a few 10s of thousand illegal aliens in NYC is a big problem. 30 million collared mules on DC ends the bullshite. what would they do? nuke their own estates.
Some may have noticed that my one and only comment in the “Mules” post was the shortest of my time here at the Treehouse. It consisted of nothing more than a single period. I suspect most thought I had just accidentally posted that “comment” before I had completed it, or there was a glitch or something. Well… no…
And I want to thank you again for everything Sundance, especially some of your recent posts. I gotta tell you something: My wife isn’t always the quickest at making sense of allegories, metaphors, etc. And so when I read that post to her, I half expected her to go “What’s that mean?” But nope. When I finished, I was surprised that she was about to cry. I said so you know what’s happening, right? She just nodded and said “Yeah, but I don’t like it.” NONE of us “like” this, but here we are…
Amen!
Was very moving for me too. God Bless America. God help us. Amen .
After “In Jesus name I pray, AMEN”, our Lord goes to work.
Prayer is the FIRST, and FOREMOST thing we should be doing.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
So, exactly when has God plowed your field for you after you prayed?
I have always had to put my hand to the plow.
Yes .Your strength comes from Him.
It’s not ballot harvesting that is defeating Trump and other Republicans. The Democrats have mastered MANUFACTURING mail in ballots. Storing them in huge numbers before election day and then transporting however many are need to win to ballot tabulation centers in the early morning hours or even days after election day. The GOP is clueless and so nothing is being done to stop this. And the GOP is incapable of doing the same thing to fight back and even the playing field. Expect 2024 to be even worse than 2020 as the Dems are learning to improve on this and eliminate mistakes.
The GOPe are not clueless nor incapable. This is their desired outcome.
One more time: We ARE NOT going to vote our way out from under tyranny!
Until we unflinchingly accept that fact, we’re not going to win anything!
The mention of the New Hampshire (Link by SD post above to counter the entire uniparty effort) effort to block the campaign of President Trump from the primary ballot is something that need to be stopped. A call in effort yesterday to their Sec of State resulted in phone lines being blocked. Have any other efforts been attempted? What is current status?
Cowboy up, be ready to ride.
I read a book once about theater in the Soviet Union. Censorship was a constant problem. One approach the directors and theater companies took was to stage old plays (Shakespeare for example), but imbue them with new meanings. There was also a great deal of improvisational theater, with no written scripts at all.
Communicating in spite of censorship is a very interesting topic. Many approaches in Europe from Britain to Russia in centuries past, I’m sure, because there was certainly plenty of censorship. I’m sure Asia has something to teach us as well, especially the great people of Hong Kong.
There’s an entire scene in Solzhenitsyn’s novel In the First Circle, devoted to the prisoners enacting a play as a parody of their jailers. I don’t remember the play, but it was Russian, commemorating events from centuries before. Every prisoner, even the snitches, knew what was going on. That’s all I will say so as not to spoil the story for future readers.
I was astounded at the writing, first time I read his work.