18th Century Values

When I was 7, my parents bought a set of World Book Encyclopedias. I was immediately enthralled. I was like a pig in shit. I started reading Volume A and kept at it over the next so many weeks until my parents put the brakes on. I guess I was well into C by that time. 

It was not the reading part they objected to. They loved that. I had stopped going outside. All I wanted to do was read the World Book Encyclopedia. That was not healthy they thought so I was restricted to one hour  per day of the World Book.

I had become consumed by this awesome set of books that contained all the knowledge of the World, past and present. World Book had become my Internet. 

It was early into my consumption of these books of knowledge that I was sure I had found a flaw, a mistake, something was wrong with the information. As I had found I was partial to historical references and stories, I was positive World Book had screwed up when referring to centuries and the actual dates. 

A fer instance- They might contend an event of note had happened in the 18th century, yet the actual date printed would be 1730 or some other year. My 7 year old logic told me if  it said 1730 then it must have happened in the 17th century not the 18th century. How could a set of books so grand get this one thing so wrong?

My dad tried to explain it to me, but at 7 years old, I could not get my brain around the idea at first. I continued to believe the books were wrong until one day when I mentioned the discrepancy to the school librarian. She set me straight or so she thought. I was still skeptical when I went home. Two adults I respected insisted World Book had it right, so I eventually gave in, even though deep down I knew they were wrong.

I only remembered this early educational struggle of mine because of our recently elected Speaker of the House and his Rose-colored twisted vision of 18th century values.

Congressman Mike Johnson, Republican from Louisiana is the best clown the White Wingin GOP could come up with to run the House of Representatives? ...... I guess he beats a blank. At least now maybe we might see some of those useless fucks in Congress finally put a ball back into play................ Damn. I sure hope the GOP pays dearly for screwing up our country even more than it was a year ago.

But what about the18th century values our new dim witted Speaker of the House contends our forefathers overwhelmingly supported. He specifically mentions George Washington and John Adams, two great Americans with a public image polished hard by historians over the years. Mike Johnson's perception of past events is the perfect example of why we need to teach our kids history more honestly, without basing our supposed greatness on twisted and perverted renditions of our past or the heroes we put on pedestals. 

The basic values of the 18th century are no better or loftier  than the basic values most of us have today. But what are values anyway. One definition contends:

"Values are individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another." 

Johnson's falsely contending the values of the 18th century are better than the ones we currently profess proves just how much he has lost touch with Reality by twisting his world view to fit the future fantasy he would like to shove up our collective asses. The man is one scary Mo-Fo. That his GOP cohorts in Congress gave him their gavel is even scarier.

What we have here today in Congress is another reason every Republican in the nation should be ashamed of themselves for allowing these clowns to run and now ruin their party. I hope the GOP goes down in flames for what they have done to our country.

Later Gators ................................

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"Politician", by Cream was on the "Wheels of Fire" album Cream released in 1968. This was during my Eric Clapton period. He was one of the rock gods I knelt before at the time.