No Bending the Knee

This week I'll be using the Urban Tarot, a deck and book set originally created and self-published by Robin Scott, but now published through U.S. Games. I'll be pairing it with an oracle I created called Principles to Live By. Today's draws the Emperor and Courage:

Scott illustrates her Emperor as a mayor of New York in the midst of being lashed by Hurricane Sandy. She describes him as someone who "holds us to a higher standard of ethics," who "teaches us responsibility and morality with a firm and measured hand." It's one thing to wear the crown when life is good. But try it when there's a pandemic and no one wants to wear a mask, when there's been a natural disaster and everyone is desperate for help, or when social injustice is met with rioting, looting and violence. It's no wonder that the tile for Courage has appeared, when boundaries must be set and triage determines which concerns come first in a long line of priorities. It takes a tough person to take a stand on doing what is right and ethical instead of bending the knee to those who scream the loudest or have the most money.