"History is prologue." We have all learned that, heard that phrase, been cautioned as to the power of the past. Unfortunately, that lesson appears to have been internalized by the wrong crew these days and ignored by others who are just too tired, too exhausted, energies and hope spent. Pessimism has set in. The words of ancient prophets and the words of today's analysts begin to converge, delivering the same warning, the same foreboding and forbidding forecast: doom is upon us. We have earned that doom through our own behavior, our own actions or lack thereof. The end is nigh. A kingdom would fall, a new power would emerge to claim top of the heap position. History buried the previous power that was, and history moved on.
Yes, history is prologue, gives us a glimpse of the future even as it prepares us for that future, for a past replayed right before us. Some, too many, participate in hastening this repetition of the past. Too many of us sit passively by, watching the democracy known as America, the United States of America, slowly and surely begin the process of dying, with total death not too far away.
How many of us can remember sitting with our parents or teachers at some point after having committed some misdeed or stood by while some reprehensible action was undertaken. Spoken with and to, lectured, questioned, warned, and given a mantra for possible improvement and food for thought. "Let this be a lesson for you." We were being told that the past has an effect on the present and the future. Each bit of history, personal, familial, national, has a lasting echo throughout the ages. At times the past pops, unexpectedly, welcomed or not, and we must deal with it, even as that sentence rings in our minds. Lordy, but our parents were right.
Too many of us threw away that precious tidbit of wisdom and hence, the current situation. Our America is dying, American style democracy is in its death throes. The past is prologue, but we failed to recognize that fact. Jan. 6, 2021. A violent coup attempt at the citadel of American democracy. People killed. A mob turned to violence, urged on by political leaders of the wrong ilk. Mob mentality prevailed, possessed them. They were led by those who knew exactly what they were doing, a shocking list of traitors within our very government.
It is now a year later almost to the day, Thursday of this week the exact day, and plans have been made to remember, to reprise(?) the day, and even to win the day. Opponents of their dastardly plans are almost exhausted beyond any efforts to revive a powerful and active opposition. Americans have now resigned ourselves, acclimated ourselves, to their getting away with it.
They ask, shout, question, demand answers as to why those in charge, those who instigated, those who committed treason, are not, were not, arrested and punished, held responsible to the fullest extent of the law? Why not indeed? No answers forthcoming. The silence is thunderous, drowning their cries as Garland sits on his thumbs and rotates, as Biden calls for an outmoded, impossible bipartisanship, not with this crowd of present-day GOP members. Absolutely not. Certainly not with their nefarious, boasted about plans to permanently corrupt the system and process, forever and a day, ensure that only Republicans - and what a misnomer that is - win any future elections, from top to bottom. Who counts the votes is their new mantra.
Not so new when one looks back at history, our ignored prologue. What lesson are we etching into historical records today to set a prologue for the future even as 1939 at Madison Square Garden sent us a frightening message with the entire arena crammed with 20,000 cheering corrupted souls, League of the Friends of New Germany. Yes, history does repeat itself, particularly when that history is not internalized, when it was not, did not, become a lesson for us. Much to our detriment.
It is time, past time, for us to choose Will we sit quietly, uselessly, by, as a poisonous history overtakes us, as past examples become facts of the day? Frost spoke of the "many miles before" sleeping. It was a call to all of America, to the world, to understand and accept their responsibility, to participate in the betterment of humankind else become a part of the problem in a most negative manner.
Mark Twain warned us, advised us as to how we needed to live our lives, gave us exemplars in his iconic novels. These same novels, along with too many others, are now ironically added to the censorship list of "banned" books, soon to become the fuel of the rabid "book burning" ceremonies of crazed Germans. The fires of Nazi Germany which consumed the world, whose lessons were never 'caught'. Thus, history becomes prologue indeed.
All we need do is hear the voices of those who know the truth of the past, the present and the future. Heed their warnings wrapped in deceivingly gentle words. Live life accordingly.
Mark Twain told us that.
"Let us endeavor to live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry."
Maybe we should all try that. Now. Together.
Or is that a pipedream already, too late?
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