Having gone to the trouble of creating the Congressional Hall of Dishonor, it seems, upon further reflection, appropriate to pose some questions to some of the more illustrious, and seemingly most proud, members of the Sedition Caucus. I refer to Senators Cruz, Hawley and the others who voted to overturn the 2020 election on January 6.  See Congressional Hall of Dishonor – Updated at https://bit.ly/3rOT89t Think of this as a final exam that determines who these politicians really are and what they are destined to become.

As an Old White Guy, I report (confess, if you prefer) that I grew up, partially, in Memphis, Tennessee. The standing joke was that Memphis was really in Mississippi because its racial attitudes and conduct toward Black people most closely resembled that of Mississippi. But, alas, Tennessee was destined, it seems, to grow more like Mississippi as Mississippi was, perhaps, growing less like Mississippi.

Growing up in Memphis, one was exposed to naked racism everywhere. As a child I was reprimanded for drinking from a “Negroes only” water fountain in Sears. The idea was that  it was socially unacceptable to behave as if “Negroes” were the equal of white people. Go along to get along. I was embarrassing everyone. Nothing to discuss or debate. That’s how it was and how it was supposed to be according to … something no one could or would identify. Raise the question and people looked at you like you were insane and dangerous. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now.

We are now 70+ years on from those days. Sometimes it feels as if nothing much has changed.

I have some questions for the Sedition Caucus and all those who support them:

1. Are you prepared to say that QAnon is a ridiculous concept, impossible for a rational person to believe? If not, why not?
2. Are you prepared to denounce the Proud Boys as a domestic terrorist organization? If not, why not?
3. How about the Three Percenters? The Oath Keepers?
4. OK, here’s an easier one: the Ku Klux Klan?
5. Further on No. 4, are you prepared to state, without qualification, that the Ku Klux Klan is a racist organization/entity/group/assemblage/collection/aggregation?
6. Reversing field for a moment, are you prepared to state, without qualification, that the Charlottesville march by the Proud Boys and others was a racist action? If not, why not? Are you prepared to state, without qualification, that in Charlottesville there were not “fine people on both sides?”
7. Are you prepared to say, without qualification, that the murders of children at Sandy Hook & Parkland were not staged?
8. Are you prepared to say, without qualification, that the 9/11 attacks were not an “inside job” by the American government?
9. Are you prepared to state, without qualification, that anyone who claims the California wildfires were started by Jewish space lasers is delusional?
10. United States leads world in firearms per capita. Why is the population armed to that extent? You may not answer “ because they can” or “Second Amendment allows it.” The question is: WHY are so many people armed? Be precise. Very precise and specific.
11. Do you believe that in general Black males are more prone to violence than white males? Why?
12. Do you believe that police generally treat Black people the same as white people? If yes, upon what facts/data do you base that belief ?
13. What, exactly, do you believe is the symbolism in the year 2021 of monuments to Confederate soldiers/generals/politicians? Define your terms – nothing like “southern culture” – be specific.
14. Do you believe it is alright, ethically or morally, for one human being to own another human being and treat that person as property?
15. Do you believe females should have the same rights and be treated with the same deference and respect, as males?
16. Do you believe that non-white people should have the same rights and be treated with the same deference and respect as white people?

If you think these are fair questions to ask men and women who purport to lead the country, who seek our approbation for their views of our values and ideals, send the questions to your senators, congresspersons, mayors, councilmen and others in positions of “power” and who are members of the Sedition Caucus. You are among the grantors of those powers so it’s entirely appropriate to ask them to answer these questions. They’re mostly easy to answer – a yes or no will suffice. Some of the explanations will be … harder. But that’s why it’s a test.

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