Arrogant Greedy Pigs

I believe in being civil. And I think I usually am. But there is a time for being uncivil, and this is one of those times.

To wit, the Wall Street idiots (to use Senator Sen. Claire McCaskill's term for them) who handed out $18.4 billion in bonuses last year are supremely arrogant and greedy pigs.

One of them, John Thain of Merrill Lynch, used taxpayers' money to hand out bonuses to his executives to the tune of three to four BILLION dollars. This is the very same pig who spent $1.2 million renovating his office while his company was sinking. Maureen Dowd of the NY Times listed some of the details: "Curtains for $28,000, a pair of chairs for $87,000, fabric for a 'Roman Shade' for $11,000, Regency chairs for $24,000, six wall sconces for $2,700, a $13,000 chandelier in the private dining room and six dining chairs for $37,000, a 'custom coffee table' for $16,000, an antique commode 'on legs' for $35,000, and a $1,400 'parchment waste can.'” $35,000 for a toilet!

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Note to my fellow Christians: If you find this pig language unacceptable, I recommend a return visit to the Bible, especially the Prophets and the Psalms. Here is just a brief sampling:

Jeremiah: "Woe to him who builds his house on wrong, his terraces on injustice...who says, 'I will build myself a spacious house, with airy rooms...' But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except on your own gain.")

Amos: "Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, you who oppress the weak and abuse the needy; who say to your lords, 'Bring drink for us!'..."

Psalm 5: "For there is no sincerity in their mouths; their hearts are corrupt. Their throats are open graves; on their tongues are subtle lies."

Psalm 10: "Arrogant scoundrels pursue the poor; they trap them by their cunning schemes. The wicked even boast of their greed; these robbers curse and scorn the Lord."

Psalm 58: "No, you freely engage in crime; your hands dispense violence to the earth...Their poison is like the poison of a snake..."

Psalm 64: "They resolve on their wicked plan; they conspire to set snares; they say: 'Who will see us?' They devise wicked schemes, conceal the schemes they devise; the designs of their hearts are hidden."

Certainly we have to have hope and reach out to those who want help to climb out of the pigsty. But let's not forget that all four gospels tell us that the same Jesus who calls on us to love our every neighbor got really angry and overturned the tables of the money changers.