... and the bicycle riders.

A gem, of unknown authorship ...

The Nazi said to the Jew, "The Jews are responsible for all of Germany's problems." Yes", said the Jew, "the Jews and the bicycle riders". "Why the bicycle riders ?", asked the Jew puzzled. "Why the jew ?", said the Jew.

Its easy to make a devil out of anyone who stands in our way or who has an opinion different from our own. At Chrishtmas and public holidays there is usually a lull in devil making, but it soon starts up again - just wait till the goodwill evaporrates.

The lazy Left will do it to the classes, the lazy Right will do it with the races. Government and opposition politicians will make devils out of each other.

And I shall do it too. I shall make a devil of the woman in front of me at the ticket office who is buying a season ticket in the rush hour.  I shall hate people on strike who spoil my holiday.  I shall hate people whose succeses I fancy should be mine.

Whenever I feel this way, I add to the present object of my hate, the words, "and the bicycle riders", and then I realize how absurd it is.

What is the devil after all ? Just my own weaknesses, my own lack of courage, the problem I can't face, the bit of my own self I can't love. We are our own devils. I used to fight my devils in prayer, but now I send them up in jokes.