Dazed and Confused

Here are a couple of brief thoughts I have had this AM. (I know. You don't believe they are "brief." Neither do I. Ha Ha Ha.) I am confused. I have been repeatedly told that not all Muslims are extremists and terrorists. (For the record, I do not believe that they are. Over the years, I've known many Muslims and considered them friends and more. But no doubt some will misinterpret what I write/say.) Yet, all those who support or even voted for President Trump are racists and bigots. Hmmm. (For the record, I don't believe that, either.) All summer I was led to believe that not all those rioters, er, "peaceful protesters" were doing violent things such as looting, burning, destroying, assaulting, and even murdering. But all those who showed up in DC last Wednesday were intent on insurrection, traitors who wanted to overthrow the US government. So which is it? When am I supposed to [spozda] believe "all of them" and when am I not? I think I need a scorecard. What I'm really looking for is a little intellectual honesty instead of blatant partisan hypocrisy and willful blindness. We can surely disagree, but let's at least be honest about our opinions. In a crossword I did this weekend was the clue "lese majeste." It's an old French term that means to do wrong or commit a crime against the ruler or, I suppose in a broader sense, the state or government. In a democracy, that's a dangerous concept. Henry Steele Commager, a history professor when I was at Amherst, once wrote that a society's most valuable members are its critics. He had an entire essay devoted to that idea. I fully agree, especially in a free society. That is the essence of the First Amendment. (Is that still around?????) It seems to me, though, that many Americans deire a return to "lese majeste." To them, a difference of opinion regarding our government, the direction it takes, who is elected, etc. is a crime--or at least they want to make it one. Oh, I have a lot more on my mind, but I wrote "brief" above. I think for now I'll stick to that.