Wicked 2: No Place Like Home

As previously written, My daughter dragged me to watch the movie Wicked 2 and it was surprisingly fun to watch. And timely in many ways. There is a specific scene that stuck with me.

Elphaba the “wicked witch” discovers a group of talking Animals secretly digging a tunnel under the Yellow Brick Road to escape persecution and flee Oz for the desolate but free "Land Beyond Oz." They are planning to leave due to increasing oppression, loss of rights, and fear of being caged or silenced. Elphaba tries desperately to convince them to stay and fight: 

“Why do I love this place? A place that’s never loved me? A place that seems to be devolving. And even wanting to. But Oz is more than a place. 

It’s a promise, an idea. And I want to help make it come true. Why should a land have so much meaning when dark times befall it. It’s only land made of dirt and rock and loam. It’s just a place that’s familiar. And home is what we call it. But there is no place like home. 

When you feel you can’t fight anymore, just tell yourself: “There’s no place like home.”

When you feel like it’s not worth fighting for, compel yourself, because there’s no place like home. 

When you want to leave, discouraged and resigned, that’s what they want you to do…..Those who take it from you, spout a lie to sell yourself…..

If we keep fighting for it, we will win back and restore it. There’s no place like home.”

If you substitute America for Oz, perhaps even “the West” at large, this song rings even more true to me now. We are beset by enemies, internal and external. The song is very relevant to us in many of the Western countries right now. A reminder for us all. We need to keep fighting for what our home and the ideals the West stands for.