Love thy neighbour

Listening to Randy Bachman. On CBC. Talking about influences in Rock’n’Roll. Influences. Who knows what really affects one’s life? It could be as simple as where you are born. But there is a book that has affected me. Still does.

I’m going to simplify history. (Forgive me.) There were two major themes when I was growing up in the 50s and 60s.. One was American and one was Canadian.

‘We can be better.’ The theme of the Kennedy years. The soul of a whole generation of Americans. Young Americans in the 60s. Who strove for excellence.

‘Let’s help each other.’ The gospel of a man who rose out of the wheat fields in Western Canada. Tommy Douglas. (The grandfather of Kiefer Sutherland.) The call that brought national medicare to all Canadians. Love thy neighbour.

The book I was telling you about. The book that contains both of these themes. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The story of a young boy. A racist. Raised in a racist society. Who grows to love a black man. As older brother. As his father. What appeals to me about the book is that Huck Finn thinks he is damned. He sees no other alternative. If he protects Jim, than he will go to Hell. If he turns Jim in, then Huck will be saved. Huck chooses Jim. It is a sobering choice.