I’d like to scream
but I’m not a member of the House GOP
November 22, 2019
Letter sent to editor PJ Star -- published: Nov. 30, 2019
I’d like to scream, but I’m not a member of the House GOP. Yes, I might shout how hypocritical, how unChristian, how unAmerican, or how unhinged are Trump Republicans? If I did, I would be modeling Nunes, Jordan, Turner, or any of the other fulminating members of the impeachment hearings. To echo a presidential address my fellow Americans, we must allow all of us the space to live together. We need to stop the yell fest. We are at a critical moment in the history of the United States. We are in the third great era of division over common dreams. As we declared independence, the colonists were greatly divided - one third revolutionaries, one third loyalists, and one third not into politics. They would turn off the news to binge watch Friends. After the Revolution, many loyalists went to England or Canada to avoid the revenge of the winners. As we approached the Civil War, we divided again. After four years of war, the death and destruction ended with an overwhelming Union victory. Revenge then was meted out on African Americans, the supposed beneficiaries of victory. Now our division is not over independence or slavery, but reality. A full one third of us live in a land populated by conspiracy theories, fact denial, false narratives, or diversionary what-aboutisms. “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, …” lies our path away from madness. We can no longer allow contrived puffery to replace sincere debate. The arguments by the House Republicans while filled with feigned outrage consisted mostly of disproven conspiracy theories; rumors started in the dark web of foreign troll hubs then inflated by Trump-friendly media. Americans are pragmatic people; we built a country based on truth and fact. Thanksgiving is approaching. I would reference WKRP in Cincinnati; no, not the first annual turkey drop. I would reference another WKRP classic, the tornado emergency. Les Nessman had no emergency plan for tornados but had a detailed one for a communist invasion. He was told to read his plan substituting tornadoes for communists. I would urge you to recount the Trump presidency and insert Obama or Democrats for Trump or Republicans. Would you defend and obfuscate for Obama and the Democrats? Wouldn’t you be outraged, screaming for impeachment? Please leave your entrenchment of grievance, partisan loyalty, and prejudice. Be an American first, even you Mr. Darin LaHood.
Les Nessman -- WKRP in Cincinnati a great sitcom
edited version published by Peoria Jornal Star
Please leave your grievance, partisan loyalty and prejudice
I’d like to scream, but I’m not a member of the House GOP. Yes, I
might shout how hypocritical, how unChristian, how unAmerican, or how
unhinged are Trump Republicans. If I did, I would be modeling Nunes,
Jordan, Turner or any of the other fulminating members of the
impeachment hearings.
To echo a long ago presidential address: My fellow Americans, we must allow all of us the space to live together. We are at a critical moment in our history. We are in the third great era of division over common dreams. As we declared independence, the colonists were greatly divided — one third revolutionaries, one third loyalists, and one third impartial. After the Revolution, many loyalists went to England or Canada to avoid the revenge of the winners. As we approached the Civil War, we divided again. After four years of war, the death and destruction ended with an overwhelming Union victory. Revenge then was meted out on African Americans, the supposed beneficiaries of victory. Now our division is not over independence or slavery, but reality. A full one third of us live in a land populated by conspiracy theories, fact denial, false narratives, or diversionary what-aboutisms. “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, … ” lies our path away from madness. We can no longer allow contrived puffery to replace sincere debate.
The arguments by the House Republicans are filled with feigned outrage consisted mostly of disproven conspiracy theories; rumors started in the dark web of foreign troll hubs then inflated by Trump-friendly media. Americans are pragmatic people; we built a country based on truth and fact. In this time of Thanksgiving, I would reference "WKRP in Cincinnati"; no, not the first annual turkey drop. I would reference another WKRP classic, the tornado emergency. Les Nessman had no emergency plan for tornadoes but had a detailed one for a communist invasion. He was told to read his plan substituting tornadoes for communists. I would urge you to recount the Trump presidency and insert Obama or Democrats for Trump or Republicans. Would you defend and obfuscate for Obama and the Democrats? Wouldn’t you be outraged, screaming for impeachment?
Please leave your entrenchment of grievance, partisan loyalty, and prejudice. Be an American first, even you U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood.
Steve Davis is the Elmwood Township Assessor. He lives in Elmwood.
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