That’s a Lot of History
Last week is one to remember.
First in importance is the Supreme Court’s decision in American Legion v. American Humanist Association. This might be the first step in reigning in political correctness.
In this case, the court allowed a 40 foot Christian cross to remain standing on public land in Maryland. The court noted that the cross was erected almost 100 years ago as a memorial to the Americans who lost their lives in WWI.
The case was decided by a vote of seven to two and might reflect a return to a court of reason and respect of history. Maybe the days of approving or authorizing the removal of historical objects that might offend a few with no knowledge or appreciation of history are over.
This does not mean that some of the old, beautiful monuments and memorials that have been removed or destroyed to please a few will be restored, but further destruction may be avoided. Maybe, also, we may be able again to openly celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and other religious observances. Maybe we and store clerks will be able to greet each other with “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah.”
Next was our President leaving the Democrats and media speechless. When he cancelled retaliatory strikes against Iran for downing one of our drones within ten minutes of launch, he wiped out the prepared talking papers of the left. Democrats and the media were salivating with tirades labeling Trump a war monger who was leading us into another prolonged conflict in the Mideast.
His response to the downed drone, however, was, “Let’s talk, but do not try this again or you will be sorry.” This was a brilliant tactical move. It caught the Iranians totally off guard and recruited more allies to the Trump approach. The Iranians are now scratching their heads or beards and trying to decide what they can do to recruit others to lobby for lifting the sanctions against them.
More unsettled, however, were the Democrats and the media. They definitely cannot give our President a thumbs up, so what can they criticize. After about 24 hours, they came up with weak criticism that Trump is indecisive and cannot protect our interests.
Then, while his opponents were reeling from the cancelled retaliatory strikes, our President announces that ICE will be taking into custody one million undocumented aliens with deportation orders for actual removal from the country.
Once again, the Democrats and media became hysterical. How could this country be so cruel as to imitate the Nazis and imprison all these poor people?
In typical fashion of keeping his opponents off balance, Trump pulled the rug from the protestors. His response was, “OK, we will delay the deportation for two weeks if Nancy Pelosi can come up with a solution to the humanitarian crisis on our southern border.”
The ball is now squarely in Pelosi’s court. It will be interesting to see how she lobs it back in a way that will leave her free to criticize every Trump move.
Finally, there was the resurrection of the proposal to pay reparations for slavery.
First, what are reparations? My computer defines them as “the making of amends for a wrong one has done, by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged.”
Under that definition, the “one” who did the wrong is the one to pay reparations to “those” who were wronged. There is not even a hint that the descendants of one who did a wrong are required to pay reparations to the descendants of those who were harmed.
Even if there was such a rule, how many of the millions of taxpayers today are descendants of slave owners? Similarly, how many of today’s citizens can prove that they are descendants of slaves?
If there is a serious move to pay some type of reparations for slavery, the reparations for those who claim they are entitled to such relief should be one-way tickets to the homeland of the slave ancestors. They then might realize that, although their ancestors suffered terribly, they were suffering slavery in their home country and, nonetheless, provided a much better life for their descendants.
So here’s the perspective.
A lot of history was created last week. Let’s not forget it.
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