IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray
# 294
“Planting Time?”
August 26, 2021
Time takes a toll on a committed writer. A background in history — both political and military — fuels the angst I feel, and have felt, for some years now.
When speaking to my collegiate classes, I tried hard to explain the importance of history and how a working knowledge of the same is invaluable to a society.
History is a concise series of warning signs — red ones — that alert you to upcoming troubles. History, alas, does repeat itself. And that working knowledge of history?Sadly, we have lost that.
Much to my chagrin, the genesis of this loss goes back to one Joseph Stalin — yes, the despicable leader of Russia. Read the following quotes and then see just where we are going and to what ends some people will go to see that we get there.
“A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.”
? Joseph Stalin
“Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.”
? Joseph Stalin
“Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.”
? Joseph Stalin
Let’s begin with the subject of death. It is unimaginable to conceptualize the number of deaths attributed to Stalin. In his book, “Unnatural Deaths in the U.S.S.R.: 1928-1954,” I.G. Dyadkin estimated that the USSR suffered 56 to 62 million “unnatural deaths” during that period, with 34 to 49 million directly.
Not exactly a score one would care to emulate. In comparison, the Holocaust, the horrible result of unrestrained, undeserved hatred of ethnic and religious groups — homosexuals, gypsies, and Jews specifically, cost far less lives. Deaths under Hitler’s “Final Solution” range from 4.5 to 6 million.
In terms of widespread knowledge among the peoples of the world, the Holocaust gets much more attention than Stalin’s genocide of his own people. Historians still feel that few Russians ever understood the ghastly number of deaths he caused. That may explain the allegiance to Russian governments throughout the years — or the fact that dissenters simply disappeared or were summarily killed.
It was only under the liaison between President Ronald Reagan and Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev that a glint of hope surfaced for Russia. Sadly, with his successors, including Vladamir Putin (former KGB), that hope is now as dead as those who dare to oppose the elite political class in today’s Russia. And those days are not gone. I cite the 2018 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko London.
The Soviet Union as a political entity may be dead; but, given the recent happenings in the Middle East, she may be poised to once again move against the peoples of Eastern Europe. Now, once firm allies now worry about the once unflagging belief in the USA as their unquestioned defender.
And those millions who died? Yes. Tragedy vs. statistic. How cruel and how typical of tyrannical leaders.
As for one death, we see in the mainstream media today how one death can inspire riots, looting, rampant destruction of our cities. And the response of local leaders? Nil. This is more than sad, it only fuels copycat behavior. Ignore the fact of their leadership affiliation? No. Democrats all. Irresponsible. Unbelievable to “fly over country.”
Now, we come to voting. The sturdy foundation of our republic (not democracy, folks — republic), voting descended into a study in how to cheat and get away with it. Oh, the lefties will scream accusations all they wish, but it comes down to closing polls in the middle of the night, kicking out poll workers, boarding up windows to work away with nobody being able to see, and the ridiculous practice of drop boxes and mail in votes. Ever see that before? Nope. It isn’t as if we weren’t either. Former President Jimmy Carter partnered with former Secretary of State James Baker III. Both men warned of this sixteen years before it happened.
The Carter- Baker Commission of 2005
The commission was organized by American University’s Center for Democracy and Election Management and hearings began on April 18, 2005, with the goal of putting forth a set of recommendations to raise confidence in the electoral system. The report, released on September 19, 2005, “recommends a modern electoral system built on five pillars: (1) a universal and up-to-date registration list, accessible to the public; (2) a uniform voter identification system that is implemented in a way that increases, not impedes, participation; (3) measures to enhance ballot integrity and voter access; (4) a voter-verifiable paper trail and improved security of voting systems; and (5) electoral institutions that are impartial, professional, and independent.
The implementation of a universal voter registration system where states (instead of local jurisdictions such as county or township) are responsible for the accuracy and quality of voter lists. This recommendation includes the proposal of a distributed database in which the registration lists can be shared interstate.
Creation of a uniform system of voter identification based on an identification card. This includes the recommendation that states issue free photo-id cards in an affirmative role to those without a driver’s license
Addition of measures to increase voter participation by asking states to assume a greater responsibility to register citizens, make voting more convenient, offer more information on registration lists and voting, host civic education programs, and more.
The inclusion of an auditable backup on paper for electronic voting systems in order to provide confidence that ballots cast using these machines are counted accurately.
The strengthening and restructuring of the system by which elections have been administered in the country through a reconstitution of the EAC and state election agencies on a non-partisan basis.
In addition, the two men also suggested these reforms:
• A proposal that the media improve coverage of election by providing longer candidate discourse – at least five minutes – each night in the month preceding the election.
Remember how the “so called” moderator(s) cut off Donald Trump when he attempted to pose questions relating to the Biden family and their activities? Five minutes of truth could have saved our country the situation we suffer now.
• Ask that media voluntarily refrain from projecting presidential election results until polls close in the 48 contiguous states.
Remember how the major networks who failed to call the election around 10 PM with huge leads across the board for Donald Trump and the GOP. Thanks to the media, we have a colossal mess.
• States provide unrestricted access toll legitimate domestic and international election observers.
Closed doors, boarded up windows, trucks arriving in the middle of the night loaded with ballots from another state, boxes pulled from beneath tables, ballots entered multiple times, falsified water leaks (I hardly deem an overflowing toilet a risk to the building involved.), and machines susceptible to insertion of memory cards and chips to assign a different weight to votes for a particular candidate. And all in cities run by Democrats. Sound familiar?
• Changing the Presidential Primary schedule by creating four regional primaries
I’m not sure how much progress has been made on this front. The straw polls and traditional sites seem to have become the ingrown toenail of our election system.
• For states to certify their presidential election prior to the “safe harbor” date. In addition, for states to enact new statutes to ensure that its resolution of all election disputes are given conclusive effect by Congress under United States Code
The United States Code on Elections reads as follows (Title 3):
Title 3 – The President
Chapter 1. Presidential Elections and Vacancies
Section:
1. Time of appointing electors.
2. Failure to make choice on prescribed day.
3. Number of electors.
4. Vacancies in electoral college.
5. Determination of controversy as to appointment of electors.
6. Credentials of electors; transmission to Archivist of the United States and to Congress; public inspection.
7. Meeting and vote of electors.
8. Manner of voting.
9. Certificates of votes for President and Vice President.
10. Sealing and endorsing certificates.
11. Disposition of certificates.
12. Failure of certificates of electors to reach President of the Senate or Archivist of the United States; demand on State for certificate.
13. Same; demand on district judge for certificate.
14. Forfeiture for messenger’s neglect of duty.
15. Counting electoral votes in Congress.
16. Same; seats for officers and Members of two Houses in joint meeting.
17. Same; limit of debate in each House.
18. Same; parliamentary procedure at joint meeting.
19. Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act.
20. Resignation or refusal of office.
I could go on, in depth, on the election process. Yet, today, with the grinding distrust of the 2020 Presidential Election, the additional problem of those drop boxes surfaces. Placed among inner city neighborhoods widely run by Democrats adept at the other ugly practice of ballot harvesting (going door to door offering money for a mail in ballot from the resident), the disaster we saw was nearly a foregone conclusion. And remember who funded them?
The trouble with most voters like me is that we are too trusting. It is against our better nature to distrust the election process we have known for a lifetime.
It’s high time we rethought that posture and began to really consider following the suggestions made by Carter and Baker.
This brings us to the third Stalin quote:
“Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.”
Beginning in the 1940s, the socialist mindset crept into the faculties of our colleges and universities. Honored institutions — many founded on the Christian faith — morphed, bit by bit, professor by professor, subject by subject, into an ugly conglomeration of misinformation and a leftist agenda. This misinformation began the slow process of turning students against their country. History taught with an agenda toward the socialist and communist viewpoint, demonizing practical, long-held beliefs in God and family, an increased incentive to depend upon the government, an abandonment of self-reliance and initiative, and the death pride in achievement through hard work.
It has not stopped. If anything, it has metastasized to our lower schools. CRT is an excellent example. What is taught is vastly more important than who teaches it. Let scientists and engineers teach the math courses. Let writers teach English. Let historians teach history. And so it should go. The teachers’ unions have worn out their usefulness. They are nothing less than influence peddlers and they come first — not the kids. They wield unbelievable financial clout and push folks around consistently. I have heard that the sole reason many teachers join the union(s) is for the liability coverage.
Well, insurance companies, here’s an opening for you. Offer liability coverage for teachers without the union rope attached. Entrepreneurs, go for it! And who suffers most? The children and what’s left of the American family.
Today we find ourselves aghast at what has happened. The family, once the mainstay of our culture, is nearly gone. It all began with “The Great Society.” Even in the midst of slavery and inopportunity, the black family thrived. Yet, when women began to receive money for children in a home absent a father, the slow collapse began.
Take a look at this: Among white families, 2.8 percent were headed by women in 1950, 6 percent in 1960, and 13.9 percent in 1982, compared with 8.3 percent, 20.7 percent and 47.1 percent for blacks in those years. And then there is the work of Daniel Patrick Moynihan:
His report, known as The Moynihan Report, examined the link between black poverty and family structure. It hypothesized that the destruction of the black nuclear family structure would hinder further progress toward economic and political equality. And so it goes.
I had a great professor in graduate school who knew black society inside and out. She claimed that more than 90% of black families included a father, mother and children before the government hand-outs began. Even with all they faced, their families, grounded in their faith, saw them through turbulent times. When well-known black celebrities began call this problem out in the 1980s and 1990s, the victimization demons attacked them for their common- sense stance.
You’ll recognize this bunch. They peddle their lies so well. They know that hate and anger are far easier to inspire than love and acceptance.
Don’t tell me that black children aren’t intelligent. I taught in a township school where students were bussed from inner city neighborhoods, and I came face to face with marvelous kids — bright, interesting, and determined. Sadly, their parents were left out of participating with them due to lack of transportation and distance. The once thriving neighborhood schools with involved parenting so common in the 1950s and 1960s waned. Today, they are, for all intents and purposes, dead.
So, here we have it. Deaths are inconsequential — just statistics. Who counts the votes tops the actual votes cast. Education in the wrong hands poisons our young people.
My only question is this: Do we, as a people, have the corporate will and determination to fight the cancel culture and those who claim to be woke?
When it comes to corporate America, money talks. I have never been a big one for boycotts, but the left makes them work. They threaten big business and cajole the boards of directors into decisions that make absolutely no sense in economic terms.
Forget the green push. I remember when “being GREEN” meant you knew next to nothing. For me, nothing has changed in that department.
You reap what you sow. Isn’t it about time to tear up the fields and replant?
Think about it.