There is a scene early in Mel Brooks' film "Blazing Saddles" where a new sheriff comes to an all-white town. The townspeople are decked out to greet him, one of the town leaders practices his welcoming speech, and the band is playing, when the sheriff rides up on his horse. The fanfare abruptly ends when everyone realizes that the sheriff is black. As the sheriff begins to make his prepared remarks to the racist crowd, some of the town folk pull out their guns and aim for his head. In a moment of ironic genius, the sheriff puts his own gun to his head, and tells everyone to put their guns down or the [racial epithet] will get it. The townspeople are somehow fooled by the ruse, and put down their guns so the sheriff won't get hurt. The sheriff then manages to get away, still holding himself hostage, and finally remarks to the camera how dumb these people are. As I have watched the Republican fiasco in Congress, I can't help but think of this scene. In the
Meditations on Law and Life