It’s been a sorry week in Washington, my hometown. While the world is in high-stakes turmoil almost everywhere, a political civil war is underway with the Democratic party bent on taking control of the government.
Their strategy began with the systematic destruction of a sitting president, discrediting his staff, political and judicial appointees, and attacking his power to make policy. A daily inquisition carried out in a complicit media is meant to guarantee Democratic control of the House of Representatives and as soon as possible, the Senate. The Supreme Court is not far away. The claim that impeachment is an ideological debate meant to illuminate government abuses to the masses is no less than an attempted coup. This is strictly for political gain.
The short-term fallout is suspending the Chief Executive’s ability to manage and make foreign and domestic policy. His presence among world leaders is compromised because his administration is under attack and is threatened to fold. The Democratic party has declared war on this administration as well as the office of the president. In so doing, they are forcing the Executive, Judicial and Legislative to answer to a political party. They are assuming the right of review of all branches of the government and placing the US Constitution on the block.
Debates between interpretations of history play a marginal role in this struggle because there is no face to face dialog, merely explosive narratives held in the media for shock and awe value. The networks are dancing in the streets.
21st century America has a serious deficit. Its children and young adults neither acknowledge nor are taught history. They are locked into tiny windowless domes with streaming sensation delivered direct to their electronic collars. With no effort required to gain knowledge, there can be no understanding, no perspective, no interest in the past. History lacks taste, aroma, sensation and entertainment; its value as a source of perspective is approaching zero.
Once you surplus history and replace the past with Internet bandwidth, you’ve lost your country.
Richard Herbst, Crestview
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: We don’t need no education