In the 50’s, living on Northlawn Ave. between Intervale and Schoolcraft Sts. in Detroit, our ‘Party Line’ was a weird concept in telephonic history, wherein we shared phone service with another neighborhood family.  We each had our own number, (ours was WEbster 55460…I don’t know why I remember that), which only rang in our respective homes.  But, if one family was using the phone and the other picked theirs up, you could listen in on the conversation.  There was little consequence to this arrangement other than the inconvenience of waiting your turn, overhearing or being overheard.

In the wild and wooly 80’s, 900 numbers gave rise to pay-per-minute ‘Party Lines’ that lead directly to today’s social networking mania.  You could aurally fulfill the  fantasy of your choice to your heart’s, (or the limit of your credit card’s), content.  The InterNet added one or two-way visuals to the mix, raising the resultant ‘Party Lines’ to stratospheric levels of enterprise.  The consequences of addictive users, predatory scenarios and minor-related abuse are too numerous to mention.

However, real consequence, of the Pandora’s Box variety of trouble and woe, can be traced to the illogical, yet universal, human need to choose and then give one’s self over to social, economical, religious and political ‘Party Lines’which tacitly or overtly call for the elimination of all others as their mantra.  There is certainly comfort and a sense of belonging, but forming cliques by ethnicity or nationality, by adoration of a cuddly miracle baby or a squat, fat asian, by net worth or the perception thereof, or, most illogically, the ardent choice of political affiliation, (there’s a reason they call it political persuasion), only leads to alienation and hatred.  Only the smallest percentage of devotees even understand the principles of the clubs they join, most being initially drawn in by family mandate, friends, a convincing ad or canvaser, or the cool swag or mascot.  This applies to the most well-meaning as well as the merely contentious and the viral ease to spread any message, (even mine), has only exacerbated the problem.

This would normally be the part of the program where I name names, point out how much smarter I am than John Boehner or Sarah Palin and how pointless it is for Yankee fans to truly hate Red Sox fans, (and vice versa), but our ‘Party Lines’ are so indelibly drawn, I would either be preaching to the choir or inciting a riot.  A solution, if one really exists, will only come from a common goal or belief that binds us all together.  I think I may have found it, although I admit I have not worked out any of the details as yet.  ‘Bind’ was the key to my revelation.  Everyone loves a good shit…more to come.