It hit me then. I understood why I think the law I
mentioned, as nebulous as it is, is so important.
What better example of history veering off the intended path
can we imagine? It may not be the greatest example in our history. Intelligent and
intuitive people, including Lyndon Johnson, foresaw that our military involvement
in Indochina was a rocky path to follow. Politics demanded otherwise. Our involvement
would defeat Communism once and for all. America would be the hero
of the world. Any resisting politician was a traitor like Harry Truman, who had
lost China. (Yes, losing a nation with 541 million people was quite a trick).
We struck out joyously.
What followed was failure, global humiliation, a deeply
divided country, millions killed or wounded, a national cynicism, antipathy toward veterans, and more than
58,000 of their names carved into a black-granite mourning wall in Washington D.C.
I could fill pages with examples of how “The Law” has defeated
good intentions. In our state, HUD decided, one year, to reward cities that
would pass a stringent fair housing ordinance. What could be more proper or
fitting? African Americans would benefit from inspired insight. Let us press
forward. It was a another brick of good intentions paving the road to Hell.
Problem was, cities with large minority populations would
not even discuss passing something as politically explosive as a fair housing
ordinance with teeth. Yes, it was political cowardice, racially tinged, and
untoward. Many political decisions are, unfortunately.
Cities with no minorities said, “Why the hell not? It won’t
bother us.”
What happened? As we might guess, HUD money intended to help
the poor, heavily represented by minorities, one year went to “Sundown Cities.”
Now we have a political independent who chooses to run for President
of the United States, not as an independent, but by attaching himself to one of
the two national parties. It’s his second try. His first, and indications are
he was helped by a foreign enemy, resulted in the exact opposite of what his
followers sought, which was a more equitable government, voter fairness, a
leveling of income disparities, and love and health care for all.
Abroad, there was a Southeast Asian country once that was
being overrun by a reptile species labeled in taxological terms as Ophiophagus Hannah known as the “King
Cobra.” According to the late Edward C. Morgan, PhD, it is one of the most
dangerous snakes in the world. While not the most poisonous, it is smart and
mean, the only poisonous snake that will stalk and attack people just for the pure
hell of it.
The government decided to address the problem by offering a
bounty, let’s say $50.00, for each dead snake delivered.
Fine. Seemed like a good idea. It was, until the supply ran
low. Then inspired villagers began breeding the things. Poor planning and
inadequate enclosures produced runaways. The country ended up with more King
Cobras than ever by the time officials ended the program.
Politics evades the thinking ability of zealous cult
members. Ronald Reagan once said, for example, that “Facts are stupid things.”
It was a slogan that apparently stuck with, and formed a chief weapon of his
party, one that has stuck with his followers to this date.
Sadly, he had intended the famous quote by John Adams, “Facts
are stubborn things.”
Let us hope that President Adams, not President Reagan was
right.
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