I just finished reading Tony Horwitz's Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War. Highly recommended--a gripping tale of an important part of American history.
One of the things I glean from history is that we are much too eager to label things the "most," or "best," or "worst." (An Australian friend pointed this out when we were watching tennis more than a decade ago and the announcer proclaimed Pete Sampras the "best ever.")
Of course many of us keep saying that our politics are "more divided" than at any other time. My response is: "Really??" While our current Congress has accomplished little, none of its members has attacked another with a cane. And while the income inequality in America is at historic levels, fellow citizens are not being arrested and beaten for demanding the right to vote.
On the other hand, what does seem to have been lost is the righteous outrage that is needed to bring about change. What I experienced is that candidates and their supporters are so committed to winning, that they do not commit to making the changes in their own campaigns that are morally required. This is why money has become such a problem.
In my next post, I will address how this is corrupting the race here in Connecticut's 5th District.
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