I have a low-level membership in The Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization dedicated to upholding the Constitution. I like them because they are very good at assembling facts and making sound arguments founded on principle. Yet, here is a take-away line from their latest email update:
Unfortunately, we live in a time in which people will ignore the facts and sound arguments. Instead, too many Americans believe the fantasies told to them:
The line is a wonderful summation of what is wrong in our country and dominance of the so-called “low information” voter. In my opinion, the low-information voter isn’t so much low on information as they ignore the information in the first place.
I think there are many reasons for this not the least being an educational establishment that is either apathetic to American History or hostile to it in an attempt to brain wash generations of Americans. This is especially true when it comes to having even a basic grasp of the balance of power intended by the Founders and an understanding of what the Constitution means.
How else could progressives get away with making comments that diss the very document that makes and has made the US an exceptional nation?
I recall having a conversation with a young man who asserted that Russian Communism under Stalin was mostly a good thing but he went too far.
I gave the young man credit for even knowing who Stalin was and something about Russian history was but was utterly bewildered by the fact he only meant that Stalin went too far in killing too many people. Yeah, like twenty million!
The young man was a classic example of ignoring the facts and instead believing in Marxist ideas of what constitutes “fairness” and collectivism and how Marxists achieve their goals. Marxists achieve their goals by demonizing someone and at the end of the day eliminating them.
And if you wonder where young people get their ideas then check out this “Joe Stalin was not all that bad if you understood him” website.
The young man was unusual because he did have some grasp of history while a great many of his contemporaries do not even have that.
These type of voters are by and large, emotionally driven and unable and unwilling to engage in meaningful discussion of issues. The progressives exploit this class relentlessly with obvious success.
The gun control debate which is more like a progressive jihad is a case in point. For all the effort and emphasis on taking guns away from the law-abiding there is virtually no effort to focus on the criminal who misuses guns with murderous results.
And don’t get me started on Fast and Furious where our own government supplied guns to Mexican drug cartels in a thinly disguised effort to away guns from law-abiding citizens in our country. That Holder and crew have gotten away with this should scare the average American half-to-death. Yet, the ignore the information voter goes happily along choosing to believe the fantasy that “Obama cares.” Please.
Another fantasy is that taking guns from people who obey the law somehow make us safer. This is logic turned on its ear, yet it is widely believed by millions who do not seem to have even a smidgen of what used to be called critical thinking.
The Heritage Foundation seeks to reverse that kind of thinking and I admire their efforts to do so which is why I support the organization.
I am cynical and skeptical enough however to doubt they will have much success.
In the interest of full disclosure I do own firearms, mostly all inherited from my father who was a bit of a collector. Many are antiques and I would not even think to even fire them. A number of others are not, mostly WW2 era rifles and one solitary 9mm pistol from the same era.
Years ago I gave away the lone box of ammo that I had for a Winchester 30-30 and currently have zero ammunition for any of my firearms.
I’m going to change that and buy a couple of boxes. Why? Because is still is my constitutional right to do so.
And that’s the way I see it.
Related articles
- We, the people, have abdicated our duty (thedifferencesofus.com)
History and Hobbies 
Bruce,
Dittos…. Our country is infested with people who are like unto those who screamed and rushed upon Paul after he shared the gospel.
For this generation, information that is not offered as simply and quickly as opening and pouring a beverage into a glass is quickly rejected.
In addition to the lack of desire to receive information there is the problem that author and historian Tom Holland identifies thusly, “In every period there are those who labour to redraft the past in service of the present”.
One of the most extreme examples of this is brought to mind due to the recent interest in Pres. Linclon. Eventhough he clearly and strongly opposed the institution of slavery, there are many negative aspects of the man that are easily authenticated but rarely presented.
To wit:
He personally believed the federal government had no authority to free slaves in the states.
He believed the black race was inferior to whites.
He opposed black citizenship and voting rights.
He opposed their participation in jury duty.
He opposed them being elected to any office.
He was opposed to interracial marriage.
He was concerned that freed southern slaves might come to northern states.
He was adamant that any action he took regarding slavery would be taken only if it benefited the war effort.
If public education had made these facts known from day one, would it not be probable that today’s collective opinion of him would quite different?
I’m not really a Linclon knocker, just illustrating Holland’s point that today we are witnessing much more recent events being redrafted by media and politicians.
Well said Bill. Well said.
The gun control debate which is more like a progressive jihad is a case in point. For all the effort and emphasis on taking guns away from the law-abiding there is virtually no effort to focus on the criminal who misuses guns with murderous results.