February 10, 2024
When I click on a new tab in my search engine, I’m greeted with the current headlines. This one caught my eye:
One of the books this fascist group is trying to ban is Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. The novel centers on the bombing of Dresden during WWII. Vonnegut was a renowned writer of the postmodern genre.
I vividly recall reading Slaughterhouse 5 in high school and putting together a presentation with a classmate. We read excerpts from the book while showing slides of scenes from the holocaust. This would have been around 1980. So, more than 40 years ago, I had free and full access to information about factually proven historical events from books available in my school library. I had full access to the works of current authors. There was no controversy. There was no question about the book we had chosen or the slideshow we presented. No controversy whatsoever. It was part of our education.
Now, more than 40 years hence, books showcasing the full spectrum of ideas and world views, which is the hallmark of democracy, are viewed as a threat. Truth is viewed as leftist indoctrination. The notion that factually proven historical events should be suppressed, that students should not be allowed to study history and learn from the past, is incredibly dangerous. Where are we headed, here? Because we are well down that slippery slope many many societies that preceded us have traveled. And no good can come of what is happening right now.
We’ve heard this quote so often we’re desensitized. This time, PAY ATTENTION:
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” -George Santayana
I listened to the Straight White American Jesus podcast’s weekly roundup last evening. Book burning was one of the topics. Mississippi Secretary of State candidate Valentina Gomez performed her own book burning in a video that has gone viral. Bradley Onishi emphasized there was never an instance in history where book burning did not precede a move to an authoritarian government. Nothing good can come to a society that has progressed to book burning.
“Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.” -Heinrich Heine
I follow Toby Morton on Instagram. Morton is creating satirical websites for hate groups, including Mom’s for Liberty, as well as politicians and second amendment fanatics intent on destroying democracy. Donations fund advertising like this:
Many people take offense and send Morton threatening messages, which he simply posts:
It amazes me that in this day and age people fail to recognize satire when they see it, but they do. I often wonder if Republicans are simply less intelligent that Democrats. They aren’t. Like all of us, Republicans are highly receptive to information that fits with their world view. I believe the difference is Democrats employ critical thinking. We learned about critical thinking in school, we internalized that “woke” concept and have effectively put it to use as adults.
Are Democrats better than Republicans? I don’t know the answer to that question. And yet, we have a FORMER president who is controlling Congress. So what does that say? What does that mean? I think it means Republicans aren’t working for their constituents, they’re working for Trump. And Trump is a clown, but he’s also a madman who has an alarming degree of influence.
It’s abundantly clear Democrats are far more civically minded, and Democrat politicians take their jobs as representatives of the people far more seriously than their Republican counterparts. Using the critical thinking skills I learned in public school and have honed throughout my adult life, I have concluded the evidence clearly shows that Democrats are far less dangerous than Republicans.
Please support the Straight White American Jesus podcast.
Please support Morton’s work.
Support Democrat politicians.
Support organizations fighting to save democracy. The Lincoln Project is doing some incredible work.