I would have been delighted to post that one Steve, if I had know about it. Thank goodness for Guests, eh? :-)

John - Sure, here's what it alludes to: It's a very sarcastic and critical comment on a society that constantly idolizes killers in its movies and entertainment. The classic killer at the top of the pecking order is symbolized by the "Commander in Chief", who is not a "hero" at all but a mass murderer. "John the Baptist" is one of his ordinary soldiers, who has to obey orders he doesn't like in the least...such as the order to torture the "thief" who is probably someone who took a loaf of bread because his family was starving. John feels like throwing up while committing this act and secretly detests his commander. The commander is "chasing a fly"...doing something entirely trivial which he, however, thinks is vitally significant...yelling "Death to all those who would whimper and cry!" ...the usual refrain of proud slaughterers who glory in their power to destroy and their macho self-image of omnipotence. He drops a barbell, because he is always pumping iron to show off his mighty muscles to everyone. He "points to the sky" (possible sexual reference of potency...or maybe not...) and accuses the very sun of being "chicken". In other words, even the sun is less powerful and might than he is. He's a psychotic.

It's a very pointed attack on brutal hubris, aggression, jingoism, militarism, and all the stuff that fuels things like attacks on small countries who have not attacked you and lack any real power to even do so. Sound familiar?

Make the Commander in Chief Rambo, Dirty Harry, Schwarzenneger, Stallone, a Charles Bronson character, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Ariel Sharon, or even George Bush and you may find some parallels.

- LH