"Oho!" said the pot to the kettle;
"You are dirty and ugly and black!
Sure no one would think you were metal,
Except when you're given a crack."
"Not so! not so!" kettle said to the pot;
"'Tis your own dirty image you see;
For I am so clean – without blemish or blot –
That your blackness is mirrored in me."
As the smut cover cauldron peers at the stainless kettle, all the cauldron can see is his own smutty image, and, therefore, perceives the kettle as black. It is the pot projecting his own blackness onto the kettle. When the pot calls the kettle black he is revealing himself. The accusation of blackness speaks to the character of the cauldron and not to the character of the kettle. How often do we see this happen? How often have I done this myself? How often have you done this?
When the government calls its citizens greedy...the pot has called the kettle black.
When Republicans call Democrats opportunists...the pot has called the kettle black.
When Democrats call Republicans angry...the pot has called the kettle black.
When one impugns the motives of another...the pot has called the kettle black.
When independent Apostolics call organized Apsotolics political...the pot has called the kettle black.
When organized Apostolics call independent Apostolics controlling...the pot has called the kettle black.
