*** “Human beings are perhaps never more frightening than when they are convinced beyond doubt
that they are right.” [ Laurens van der Post ]
What does it mean for a society, especially for a “democratic” society, when it is infected by waves of IRRATIONALITY and obvious, deliberate, blatant LIES. When the goal of some is to create doubt, confusion, and division?
Consider the following examples for a beginning”
– vaccines are “bad”
– climate change crisis is “a hoax”
– the 2020 American presidential election was “stolen”
– immigrants are “stealing American jobs”
– cutting taxes for the rich is “good” for America, benefits will “trickle down” to ME
– America was founded as a “Christian nation”
***. “There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.” [ Goethe ]
1]. vaccines are “bad”. – Among other things, health improved in the 20th century because of scientific advances such as public health measures, improved sanitation, new medical knowledge – and vaccines. Just one current example: measles were declared eliminated in America around 2000. then anti-vaxxers gained influence – and we have serious outbreaks among mostly unvaccinated people. American schools routinely required students get vaccinated against highly infectious diseases. then – anti-vaxxers gained influence – some diseases are making comebacks. COVID 19 is a glaring example of unvaccinated people dying in greater numbers – and the threat they posed to people around them. Many wore masks longer, stayed away from crowds because of the threat to THEIR health by people refusing to get COVID 19 vaccinations.
2] climate change crisis is “a hoax”. – Headlines alone refute this: fires, floods, deforestation, droughts, heat waves, oceans heating up, the arctic melting, animals and plants migrating away from the equator, and much more. Fossil fuel corporations admitted climate change was real in the 1970s – have fought against change ever since. Petro states and fossil fuel corporations pump out continual misinformation and lies about dangers to the earth, plants, animals, and people on it. Heat records are continually being set and reset…………..
*** “Fools are more dangerous than rogues.” [ George Bernard Shaw ]
3]. the 2020 American presidential election was ‘stolen” – The loser lost by 7 million popular votes. He lost by tens of thousands of votes in marginal ‘electoral college” states. Numerous people, including people from his own political party, acknowledged that he lost. Elections people from all over America testified to the honesty of the election. This BIG. LIE. has become a cult ‘loyalty test” – one must support this Big Lie to be in good standing with the sore loser.
4]. immigrants are ‘stealing American jobs”. – Farmers have testified they CANNOT get native-born Americans to do the back-breaking work their farms require. One farmer testified he has recruited immigrants for over 15 years because of this FACT. Business people have testified that without immigrants their own business would be in trouble, maybe have to close. America is short over 400,000 manufacturing workers right now. [ 6/24/25; New York Times ]
***. “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” [ Plato ]
5]. cutting taxes for the rich is “good’ for America; benefits will “trickle down” to ME. – This has been STATISTICALLY disproven for many years. What HAS happened since 1981 is an ever-increasing income & wealth gap between the rich and the lower 90-95%. There are record numbers of American billionaires, more being added virtually every year. Millions are “food insecure”; hundreds of thousands are homeless; many are forced to work 2-3 jobs to survive. Businesses serving middle class customers are closing. People are NOT having children because they cannot afford to have them. All this, and much more, because the wealth of America is NOT being SHARED like it was 1947-73.
6]. America was founded as a “Christian nation” – it was NOT. We have clear, specific quotes from Founding Fathers against this. Best of all, we have 17776-1800 state constitutions of the original 13 states against this [see Edwin Gaustad’s “Faith of the Founders, Appendix B]. Four states prohibited a “religious test for office” [Article VI]. 8 states banned an active minister from their state government!!! [if we were going to have a “Christian nation” – would not some of the most desirable peope be active ministers?????]. 10 states had language prohibiting an official state church [Amendment I]. North Carolina, 1776 Constitution, Articles XXXIV: “..neither shall any person, on any pretense whatsoever, be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his own faith..”, not have to pay to support ‘the maintenance of any minister or ministry contrary to what he believes is right..”
*** “The Master said, Yu, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to recognize that you know it
and when you do not know a thing, to recognize that you do not know it. that is knowledge.” [ Confucius ]
***. “False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.” [ Socrates ]
***. “the greatest and noblest pleasure which men can have in this world is to discover new truths, and the next
is to shake off old prejudices.’ [ Frederick the Great ]
With Justice For All 