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| Sapling planted by Barack Obama at Ghandhi Memorial in New Delhi |
On January 20th, 2015, Pres. Obama planted a peepal fig tree in New
Delhi, India. Now, a month later, the local Indian media are
blasting officials "for letting it die." The very popular native fig
tree, Ficus religiosa, dropped all its leaves shortly after
its planting and is now a tall, lonely, spindly single stalk. But
local horticulturists insist is not dead at all but is setting new
buds which will start to bloom soon.
The tree is also known as the Bo Tree, under which the Buddha sat and became a supremely enlightened teacher.
It has special leaves which have a long
extended drip tip. The tree is considered sacred by followers of
Buddhism. Interestingly, the tree's leaves move continuously even
when there is no perceptible wind blowing! The phenomenon is explained due to
the quite long stalks on the leaves, but the faithful attribute the
movement of the leaves in dead calm air to "devas" or "gods" that
reside in the leaves. Some Americans are said to believe that the strange
leaf movement is signaling "the end of days," or even a new Watch
Tower emphatic claim!
Republicans and others are already shouting and spouting jaundiced nonsense suggesting President Obama may have dropped his leaves. The perennial bile-spewing, failed Pol., Rudy Giuliani, has even claimed that because of President Obama's more intellectual public call for reason instead of waving his arms and shouting firebrand rhetoric, the President "doesn't love America."
Could it be that Obama stuffed a handful of the leaves into his coat pocket to bring back to some of his detractors? The leaves are used in traditional medicine and are especially useful for those suffering from jaundice ... like Speaker John Boehner whose dark yellowish jaundiced facial coloration actually may not be from daily visits to a tanning salon after all! And the Peepal leaf also helps control the excessive amount of urine released during jaundice. Imagine seeing Mr. Boehner with a normal healthy looking pink glow! Imagine Boehner, Giuliani and their ilk not continually peeing on their own boots! Obama is patiently and calmly watching all this and may be handing out the metaphoric leaves soon.
The trees can grow to almost 100 feet in height.
Republicans and others are already shouting and spouting jaundiced nonsense suggesting President Obama may have dropped his leaves. The perennial bile-spewing, failed Pol., Rudy Giuliani, has even claimed that because of President Obama's more intellectual public call for reason instead of waving his arms and shouting firebrand rhetoric, the President "doesn't love America."
Could it be that Obama stuffed a handful of the leaves into his coat pocket to bring back to some of his detractors? The leaves are used in traditional medicine and are especially useful for those suffering from jaundice ... like Speaker John Boehner whose dark yellowish jaundiced facial coloration actually may not be from daily visits to a tanning salon after all! And the Peepal leaf also helps control the excessive amount of urine released during jaundice. Imagine seeing Mr. Boehner with a normal healthy looking pink glow! Imagine Boehner, Giuliani and their ilk not continually peeing on their own boots! Obama is patiently and calmly watching all this and may be handing out the metaphoric leaves soon.
The trees can grow to almost 100 feet in height.
Footnote: In March, 2000, President Bill Clinton and Daughter Chelsea participated in a tree planting in the same Gandhi Memorial Park. Clinton's tree is reportedly tall, sturdy and still growing.
