The little shall inherit the earth
Mary Wakefield 1:41pmHas anybody noticed that slowly, slowly, (little by little) short people are taking over the world? They took Hollywood many decades ago, beetling their way into the limelight with their bulging eyes and cuban heels. Then they quietly assumed the moral and spiritual high ground, with the truly minuscule Saint Mother Teresa and Gandhi. These days they're after political power. There used to be a ban on very short people becoming famous politicians -- they were there, in the background, but like rats or baby pigeons, they never dared show themselves in public. But now there's that charismatic little titch Sarkozy set to become President of France and the pint-sized tyrant Ahmadinejad in the east. Neither seem ashamed. And isn't Hillary Clinton on the short side?
Perhaps you can't see the danger in letting little people have their turn. Well. Just remember that old Randy Newman song: Short people
They got little hands
And little eyes
And they walk around
Tellin' great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet
They got little baby legs
And they stand so low
You got to pick 'em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That got beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin' peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They're gonna get you every time
Well, I don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
Don't want no short people
'Round here
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Comments
Primrose Smithy
May 3rd, 2007 4:27pmdictators famously have always been short. look at napoleon, and whatsisname, mussolini. someone should investigate whether there is a corollary between shortness and megalomania. I am worried that your research is flimsy and not as thorough as Paul Johnson's.
Lee Jakeman
May 3rd, 2007 11:36pmI am short (5'6"). However, I am also highly intelligent, which is why I've never felt inferior to others. Tall people who value their tallness, in my experience, do so because they haven't got much else.
Geoff Harrington
May 4th, 2007 2:05amBeware the intelligent short person. My daughter is both; I am neither. Short jokes were "in" until my birthday card announced "Father, I have always looked up to you, but I have to tell you. You have something up your nose".
Alan Sutton
May 4th, 2007 8:32amAt last my chance to belong to a persecuted minority (I am 5 ft 2 in): "On behalf of the vertically challenged community I wish to object most strongly to the heightist remarks of your contributor. Does she not realise what great contributions the v-c community has made to the arts - Beethoven, Schubert, Dudley Moore......"
Ronnie Scott
May 4th, 2007 11:03amI'm so glad someone else remembers Randy Newman's tune fondly. We performed an a capella version of it at a concert at school, and as the headmaster, Canon (now Lord) Pilkington was himself lacking in the height department, some thought it distinctly daring - not to say rude - of the choirmaster to pick it.