two sides of history

  Having disconnected for two days I find myself strangely a bit baffled and confused. I haven't seen the news, local or national and have had no interactions on Facebook. I feel like I have a lot to catch up on, with no desire to do so. The few items I've heard about are quite upsetting. Something about Columbia University students supporting Hamas terrorists! Having heard only a small portion of that I'm not certain I have the truth of the matter. I certainly hope what I did hear was wrong. I did hear someone set themselves on fire outside the Trump trial. Didn't hear why. The jury and alternatives have been selected. I don't see how that was even possible. I really don't believe anyone in America doesn't have some preconceived idea about the guilt of innocence of Trump. The question: to me is, if he wasn't running for office would these charges even have been brought against him? 

 I thought for a moment or two this morning about not writing a blog posting at all. I realize they have turned more into a commentary on current events than anything else. I defend that by saying, they are my thoughts. I also include some memories every now and again to justify my postings. I'm thinking I may take this time to refocus. My original intent in writing these posts was to leave a sort of record of my life for future generations to ponder. But it is that thought that has made the inclusion of current events an integral part of that. I sure would be interested to read the thoughts of my ancestors regarding what was current events to them! A bunch of Rebels (definitely insurrectionists) have fired upon Fort Sumter! That happened on April 12, 1861. Lincoln called for the troops to recapture the Fort and quell the rebellion. I know what history says, but I wonder what those ancestors would have to say. 

 History certainly influences who we become. That is an indisputable fact. That has been and continues to be function of the media. In the past it was as simple as word of mouth, then the written word in many forms, followed by radio, television and to what we have today. Today the news appears to be influenced more by revenue than any sort of civic responsibility. I do believe that in the past journalists and newsmen like Brinkley and Cronkite did exercise a sense of civic responsibility. Today I'm not so certain, I do not have that sense of trustworthiness, that confidence in their opinions. Certainly, their definition of integrity is far different than what was expected fifty years ago. I'm hearing just now that the NPR is being called into question. A call to defund that based on biased reporting. The extreme accusation being it has been used as a tool of propaganda. I couldn't say either way as I really haven't listened to NPR. 

 I guess it will be clear to whoever reads these blogs of mine what side of history I stood on. I can't help but wonder what it will be. Our hope is that we are on the right side but how can we determine which side that is? I certainly have no crystal ball, no way of seeing what the future will be. All I can do is stand upon my principles and my beliefs. I have said it before, call it a confession if you like, but I do get satisfaction from saying, "told you so." My hope is that in the future someone reads what I have written and goes, you know, he was right about that. Or perhaps someone will read that and say, well now I understand why that happened, I get it. The only question left being what side of history will be presented to the public. Well, all depends upon the view. The best I can do is present my view and hope that is what you see.