Disgrace Is a Bipartisan Disease
Wow, just wow…
Rep, Kinzinger (R-IL16) seems to believe he has some special insight into who “probably” is and who “probably” is not a patriot. He does not.
I thank him for his service in the Air Force as a Lt. Col. and continuing service in the Air National Guard, I really do. However, his willingness to engage in ad hominem attacks and questioning the patriotism of Americans because they did not serve in the "Revolutionary War” is beyond silly. It shows he lacks judgment, is intellectually bankrupt, cannot argue his position on the merits, and attempts to lead by shame instead of example. These traits place his leadership abilities on par with those commonly possessed by a toad. And like a toad, he should not be placed in a position of leadership or authority, whether it be in Congress or the military.
Of more import, Rep Kinzinger sits on a congressional committee investigating the January 6 riot - purportedly to find out what caused that riot and identify those responsible. However, his comments coupled with the comments of others and recent events are making the January 6 committee look and sound a whole lot like a previous House committee - the “House Un-American Activities Committee.” In its 37 year history that committee investigated everyone they deemed “disloyal,” including those they believed were Communists, anti-war protestors, university faculty, and students1 2
The greatest, though not the only, shame of the House Un-American Activities Committee was achieved in 1947-51 when it branded over 300 American actors and other employees in the entertainment industry “Communists,” often with no more evidence then the uncorroborated statement of a single person.3 Being branded a Communist resulted in being blacklisted, which in turn prevented them from working, ruined their careers and in many cases their lives.4
Let us hope that Rep. Kinzinger and the other members of the January 6 Committee do not view the achievements of the House Un-American Activities Committee as something to be emulated.
ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/house-unamerican-activities-committee-4151986
Spartacus Educational, https://spartacus-educational.com/USAdies.htm
I believe communism has proven to be the most destructive and deadly movement since Genghis Khan, who killed an estimated 40 million people during his reign. Communism on the other hand is estimated to have killed between 40,472,000 and 259,453,00. with 110 to 120 million as the numbers I see cited most. However, the belief in communism, in and of itself, no matter how misguided or stupid, is not a crime or violation of the Constitution. Congress using its power to not only “chill free speech” but out right deny it, is both illegal and a violation of the Constitution. See: “How Many Did Communist Regimes Murder,” R.J. Rummel, Ph.D., 1993, (https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM); History Channel, Evan Andrews, 2019, (https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-genghis-khan); The Black Book of Communism, Stephane Courtois et al., 1999.
First Amendment Encyclopedia, Middle Tennessee University, https://mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/815/house-un-american-activities-committeeThe