Commentary by Hammerle
As I, like many, worry that our country dances on the eve of destruction, I’m reminded of Bobby Kennedy’s book “To Seek a Newer World” (1967). Simply stated, we all need to set our animosities aside and reestablish lost friendships as American citizens.
Yet I fear that we are living in a new version of the pre-Civil War Antebellum south. Hatred, anger, and racism lurks below the surface. Republicans in our national government have adopted as their standard the classic Groucho Marx’s song, “Whatever It Is I’m Against It.” For them, compromise is a four-letter word.
On top of that they destroy the attempt to create a bipartisan congressional committee to investigate the January 6th insurrection. Despite the clear attempt to overthrow our government while chanting “hang Mike Pence” they prefer to whitewash the whole thing. It is clear that they are hiding something damning to Trump and their party, and their actions are contemptible.
And then there is their reprehensible program to support the lie that the last presidential election was stolen from Trump. How can any intelligent person support this ridiculous assertion? Doesn’t the absence of any supporting facts bother people who care about the truth?
In addition, please don’t try to tell me that the Jim Crow era is dead. To the contrary, it is alive and well. While the right to vote lies at the foundation of our democracy, Republican state after Republican state is attempting to make it as difficult as possible for Black citizens to exercise that right. Good Lord, one state seeks to criminalize bringing food and water to those standing in line!
I could go on, but like many I fear for our future. Sure we are the descendants of immigrants, but it’s time to close our borders. We profess to believe in equal opportunity, but let’s deny transgender people the ability to play high school sports. While we need everyone to take the vaccine to conquer Covid-19, Indiana Republicans seek to stop Indiana University from making that requirement.
Sadly, news doesn’t matter anymore, only dogma. The mantra for most Republican supporters of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell was the legendary statement made by Indiana congressman Earl Landgrebe during the Nixon impeachment hearings, “Don’t confuse me with the facts, I know what I believe.”
RFK may have been gunned down in 1968, but let’s seek a newer world, shall we?
