Guest column: Oklahoma politicians smear their own eyes shut on Jan. 6 and go blind
Indeed, lawmakers words reflect differences — some subtle and some not so subtle. Stephanie Bice labels the Jan. 6 hearings a “witch hunt.” Frank Lucas avers that we will not get the real truth until we “continue into the next Congress” (since he seems to be counting on a Republican majority to tell the whole truth). Tom Cole condemns “the perpetrators” but has nary a word for the leaders who planned and failed to stop or mitigate the maiming and killing. T. W. Shannon opines that the purpose of the hearings is not to reveal factual truth, but rather to keep the former president from “becoming the president (again).” Markwayne Mullin assigns a blanket of blame: “All of us, all of us, are to blame on this one ... Republicans, the Democrats, the media, the administration.” It is our collective fault that a violent mob tried to overthrow the democracy and our presidential election. Blame EVERYONE so that one avoids blaming the parties increasingly demonstrated to be the guilty ones for planning and carrying out the atrocities, all in the name of a "peaceful demonstration."
The words of Voltaire come readily to mind: “The more often a stupidity is repeated, the more it gains the appearance of Wisdom.” Only Kendra Horn is quoted as affirming what we all know to be the truth: “I was watching the lives of my friends, people I’ve worked with, staff, people on both sides of the aisle, being put into very real danger for the sake of extremism and for the sake of lies.”
With the help of my dear friend (Rabbi Dr. Charles Isbell), both of us language students and graduates of Southern Nazarene University, I offer words from the prophet, Isaiah 29:9 — rather literally rendered: “Smear your own eyes shut and go blind.” This following closely on the heels of the prophetic warning, also literally rendered from the Hebrew: “Act Stupid and be amazed.”
Indeed, it is an amazing spectacle to behold.
W. Stephen Gunter, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus at Duke University Divinity School.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Opinion: Oklahoma politicians smear own eyes shut on Jan. 6
