We're All Islanders!

My sweet boy is only 4.  But he loves hockey. My little 40 pounder is destined for Gretzky greatness. Anything round he sees, he immediately associates with a hockey puck. Anything remotely resmbling a New York Islanders Hockey Team emblem will immediately prompt a "Daddy, look!" shout, with a stiff, outstretched arm and finger pointed right at it.  At the rink where we go for lessons, my boy just had to take another one of those little New York Islanders pocket schedule of games - one of the many now strewn about his room.  After all, we do live on Long Island.  "We're All Islanders!" the schedule cover boasts. 

"Pedro" is an islander too.  The island of the Dominican Republic.  He was sitting in the driver seat of his truck on Jericho Turnpike when I found him- the accident victim of a rear end collision.  No airbags deployed, and there was no intrusion into the cabin of the truck. But Pedro had some pretty intense whiplash. Traffic was heavy, so we immobilized him, slapped a collar on, and got him into the bus quickly. He was going to be ok. Pedro didn't

 speak much English though. At least not outwardly. Who could blame him.  Not only was he an accident victim, but he was surrounded by police officers and an indignant perpetrator of the accident, all loudly muttering (and not exactly under their breath at that) innuendos of immigrant encroachment.  

"Alberto" is an islander too.  The island of Cuba.  He came into my law office seeking my representation after he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle one early morning on his way to work at the Car Wash.  He speaks Spanish mostly. His doctor told him he has a fractured pelvis.  Who would have guessed that the insurance company medical examination,

 performed by a highly qualified, handsomely paid long island doctor, would report otherwise. 

We're all islanders, right? So, why is it that some islanders are treated differently than others?  I am an Islander as well. Too often I shun the love of my wife.  I don't talk to my friends about things that bother me.  Sometimes I don't reveal myself to my children.  And I don't seem to take time off from protecting my family- I'm not really sure from what though.  

It has been said that "no man can be an island".  Logically, then, no man should be treated as one. 

"...Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."  John Donne (1572-1631).

PostScript: After reading my blog, Mr. Donne's estate has retained my legal services to pursue a case against the New York Islanders for plagarism, due to the likeness and similarities of the "We're All Islanders" slogan to John Donne's quote.