The Question Never Asked

Almost thirty years ago, in the throes of a near nervous breakdown, I went to a psychiatrist. One day, in the course of several thousand dollars worth of visits, we discussed Adult ADHD. After confirming my status as the King of Adult ADHD, we had a general discussion of the syndrome. The doctor told me that real ADHD,  not the bad behavior syndrome that is frequently  misdiagnosed as ADHD or ADD, is almost unheard of in Europe. I asked him why. He explained that most of the ADHD kind came to this country in the early days. P.T. Barnum said that Americans were more curious than other people because only the most curious would have braved the odds to come to this country. I agree with both Barnum and the shrink. The culture of those ADHD types who came to this country in the early days still permeates our culture today.

This has impacted the history of our country to a great degree. How, you might ask. Here's an insight into a process rarely discussed. It concerns the decision making process in our nation's history.

Americans, especially today, like to brag that we analyze situations thoroughly before making decisions. We try to consider all of the possibilities before acting. But in that process, there is a question never asked. The question is simple, "Then what?" Yes, that's it. Never asked, never answered.

Here's my first example. We decided that we would be better off without British rule. We formed the Continental Congress. We formed an army and a navy. We declared our independence so that we could form a new nation. We won the war. But no one had asked "Then What?" So we struggled with the Articles of Confederation for several years before the Constitution was written. We were sure that would clear the confusion. No one asked, "Then What?" So we have spent the last 228 years trying to understand what phrases like  "the right to bear arms" actually mean.

In 1812 we declared war on the British. No one asked "Then what?". We got our butts kicked and Washington was sacked by the British. Only a victory by Jackson after the war ended made the conflict historically palatable.

We made war on Mexico because no one asked "Then what?" They are all coming here today in some perverted kind of revenge.

In 1860, the idea of secession exploded without a discussion of "Then What?" Lincoln responded with an invasion of the Southern states without even a nod to "Then What?" Lincoln abrogated the Constitution, shut down newspapers, and threatened to arrest Supreme Court justices, all without any question of "Then What?"

In 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in certain areas. I am certain that "Then What?" never crossed Lincoln's mind. This resulted in the freedom of millions of enslaved people. It also resulted in 100 years of Jim Crow laws, the destruction of the economy in the southern states, extreme poverty conditions for both whites and blacks, and societal problems that still plague us today.

After the Civil War and Lincoln's death, the Radical Republicans took over "Reconstruction". They were unable to even spell "Then What?", much less ask the question. The result of this is a distrust of the federal government and a hatred for federal regulations that still runs rampant in the South today. The South is the only region of the country to have been under military occupation since we gained freedom from the British.

In World War 1, Wilson failed to ask the question. Congress had no interest in asking the question and we ended up being on the winning side of part one in what became a two part event. "What then?" There was a twenty year intermission while Germany rebuilt the theater and then restarted the show. Part 2 was guaranteed to happen based on a Treaty of Versailles after Part One that was reminiscent of the Radical Republicans work after the Civil War.

In World War 2 history, the United States did not commit one of history's biggest mistakes, Japan did. Japan decided that a surprise air attack on Pearl Harbor was a good idea. Obviously, "Then What?" does not translate into Japanese.

Following Pearl Harbor, we not only declared war on Japan, we added Germany and Italy. Missing in action was the question, "Then What?" The answer turned out to be a  Europe being divided into two parts for more than forty years.

We lost more than 50,000 Americans in Vietnam in our nation's second longest military conflict. "Then what?" Today, we buy cheap shoes and textiles made in Vietnam.

In the 1960's, Lyndon Johnson and the Federal Government declared a "War on Poverty". "Then what?" Trillions of dollars later, government social engineering has destroyed the family unit in the black community and endangered it in other communities. Plantations have been replaced by housing projects and working the fields has been replaced by voting a straight Democrat ticket. We pay people not to work and wonder why job openings go unfilled.

The "War on Drugs" has been almost as tragic as the poverty debacle. "Then What?" The Executive Branch and the Congress, with several assists from the Supreme Court have abrogated the Constitution. The money in your pocket, according to the courts, can now commit a crime. It's not a War on Drugs, it's a war on our constitutional rights. The nation can survive a drug crisis, we can't make it without The Constitution.

More than fifteen years ago, we went to war in Afghanistan. Did no one study the experience of the Soviet Union there? Let's go kill some terrorists! "Then what?" In Afghanistan, we are propping up a government that enables people to grow drugs that we will later have to deal with on our shores. Does any of this make sense?

In closing this rather lengthy rant, it is not just the government that fails to ask the question. Many private groups fail to ask "Then What?" Yesterday in Boston, 40,000 people marched in opposition to a Free Speech rally. Are you serious? Then What??

Where are the videos?

An incredibly large number of Americans carry "smart" phones. One need only turn on the Internet to see that everybody is a photographer and/or a filmmaker. Every time a police officer is involved in some incident, there are videos all over the Internet of what happened. People take pictures of cops stopping a speeder, what happened on Saturday?

Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, there was a clash between white nationalists and Neo-Nazis and a group of counter-protesters. One person was killed when a car crashed into the crowd of counter-protesters. Was that the only car that approached the Counter-Protesters?? We don't know, no one can find their videos. You would think that those videos are Hillary Clinton e-mails!

The media is outraged that President Trump has blamed "both sides" for the incident. I believe that the President is correct in his assessment. Why do I believe Trump?? It is very simple. I will explain.

WHERE ARE THE VIDEOS??  There were hundreds of people there with smart phones, where are the videos? The counter protesters are liberals who document every meal they eat or stop they make on a trip. Where are the pictures from this?? Yeah, there are a couple of videos being shown. Most of them are the car plowing into the crowd. But one of those videos show someone swinging something and hitting the car before it nears the crowd. That one is online and not on the news. Why not? it doesn't validate the news networks take on the incident. In other words, it doesn't back up the lie.

Why don't the Charlottesville police have videos? They were just standing there watching. They knew that the two groups were going to clash there. Yet they had no plans to protect the white nationalists from the Black Lives Matters folks and the Antifa crowd. The latter two groups have a history of violence. Why weren't the police ready?? There are many reports that the counter-protesters attacked the White Nationalists and the Neo-Nazis. Why are there no videos from the spectators??

Hundreds of people, handful of videos?? It just doesn't add up!! Show me the videos!!

When the facts finally emerge from the dust, President Trump will be vindicated. Don't look for the news media to admit that.

As Warner Wolf used to say, "Let's go to the videotape!!"

Constitutional Crisis in Charlottesville

I am staunchly opposed to the views of white supremacists. I have spoken on national television about my views on white supremacists and Neo-Nazis. My views have not changed any. Having said that, I feel that the events this weekend in Charlottesville are a travesty of justice and are contrary to our Constitution.

The First Amendment guarantees us the right to freedom of speech. However, in the 21st Century, "Progressives" in the legislatures and the courts have decided that "freedom of speech" is only for mainstream opinions. They don't believe that every citizen has the right to voice their opinion. You can say anything you want as long as they agree with it. One need only look at scores of events since the Democrats lost the election of 2016 for evidence of this fact. College towns, like Charlottesville,where people are supposed to learn, may be the worst offenders.

The white nationalist group had secured the required permits for their march. The Virginia Law Enforcement people had the legal responsibility to protect those marchers from the "peaceful" counter protesters. Yet despite that, the marchers were hit with objects thrown by the "peaceful" protesters. I would hazard a guess that in almost every jurisdiction in the nation, throwing an object at someone and hitting them is a crime. How many counter protesters were arrested and charged??

Having failed to protect the White Nationalists from the "peaceful" counter protesters, the police then cancelled their scheduled rally. If they had let them assemble, as is their right, we could have all listened and decided for ourselves that they are idiots. How do you make them go away? Don't give them any attention. I will send that thought to CNN and the other endless news networks.

If you don't believe that this is a travesty of justice, ask yourself this question. What would have happened if the roles had been reversed? If the "progressives" were the ones marching and the white supremacists had been the counter-protesters, would the events had been handled the same? If the white supremacists had been throwing objects at the "progressives", would the police have done more than they did yesterday?  If a "progressive" had driven his car into a group of white supremacists, would Terry McAuliffe and the news media have had the same reaction??

Our government does the same thing that we always accuse foreign governments and despots of doing. The government suppresses the voices of those with different views. It is not just white supremacists, it is everyone who holds a minority opinion. Has there ever been a pro-abortion demonstrator jailed??

The news media has focused on the psycho who drove his car into the crowd and killed one person and injured several. How about more coverage on what led up to that?

In this nation, we allow people who have come to this country illegally to assemble and march in protest. So why do we tell citizens that they have no right to assemble and march? Do they not have the same rights as people who are here illegally? Are you kidding me?? How about some stories about the counter protesters and how they ended up in Charlottesville?

Before anyone wastes their time telling about the evil and violent white nationalists, a simple question. When did a rally of white nationalists end with them looting and burning businesses??

P.S. If you want to "unfriend" me on Facebook, I am okay with it.