Destruction is inherent in Trump’s America First stance. This President has no knowledge of American history and no clue as to why NATO is important to the safety of the entire world. His glaring gaps in understanding the Middle East and the historical, deep-rooted enmity between America and Russia has put us all at risk. It’s not to suggest that America and Russia can’t be friends, but it cannot be done at the expense of throwing our friends and allies to the wolves. America is now in the position of being more than America first. We are America alone. And if something happens where we need our allies and friends, they will not be there for us. America’s relationships are no longer in place to mimick a balance of power among, friends, allies and foes. I’ve digressed again but be patient with me, the best is yet to come.
The Truth shall make you free
The full quote "ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free," is inscribed on the main building of the University of Texas; the quote originated from the bible, possibly the King James version, and it has always been attributed to Jesus Christ. The truth shall make you free has been spun in the rhetoric of all types of leaders, from the spiritual to the political, and from the radical left to the alt-right, and everyone in between. The concept of the truth setting us free is the common fare dished out by teachers, clerics, tyrants, mobsters and venture capitalists. What they say is true. The truth shall set us free. But first we have to be willing to pay the price.
Identifying truth is hard work, but somebody has got to do it. Sorting through the quagmire of falsehood, trickery, alternative facts, gaslighting, and selective data, to determine and define reality only comes by developing a lifelong habit of critical thinking. There is no amount of healthy respect that can be given to a lie that will eventually turn it into the truth. When you’re armed with knowledge, a deceptive person cannot win over your mind or your heart for very long.
We have all heard the quote attributed to the philosopher and essayist George Santayana, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The desire to learn history isn’t only to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Knowing a thing or two about history means we get a playbook. If we know the steps or events that led to what happened in the past, we can detect patterns. Recognizing patterns allows us to try something new. Knowing the rules helps us to effectively explore all of the possibilities. We have to know the rules before we can break them. Knowing the past is what leads to future innovation. History is the true hallmark of innovation.