Bloomberg: Bringing Truth Into The Light

"So even if you hate politics, and there are a lot of reasons to hate politics these days, you will have to engage in political dialogue. . . "

Class of 2019: Bring Truth to Light

Don’t be distracted,
don’t pass the buck,
and other lessons for 21st-century citizenship.
 

By Michael R. Bloomberg    

‎May‎ ‎17‎, ‎2019‎ ‎7‎:‎52‎ ‎AM

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Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion-class-of-2019

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"Ignoring data and facts and defending indefensible positions happens in both parties. But during these last few years, it has enabled new levels of dishonesty and wrongdoing and it has reached a point that, I believe, no democracy can long sustain. . .
Truth will prevail where pains are taken to bring it to light. And with truth comes strength. . .

The pains taken by Americans to bring  truth to light are why secession failed in 1794 and 1861. The pains taken by abolitionists and suffragettes and civil rights marchers and marriage equality advocates brought America’s core truth to light. All people are created equal.

Today, the necessity of taking pains to bring truth to light is greater than ever because the tools for spreading lies are more powerful than ever.
Those pains are the burden of citizenship in a democracy
When people romanticize the past, remember something my mother, who lived to 102, told me: The good old days were never that good.

Finally, when leaders wrap themselves in the flag, or the national anthem, and try to make you think that critics of our government don’t love and respect our country, remember: Real patriotism isn’t about honoring symbols. It is about bringing truth to light and, when action is required, standing up and taking action.

In other words: Real patriotism is about taking pains.

> So take pains to understand the other side and to expose lies.

> Take pains to reject scapegoating and xenophobia and not to fall for easy answers.

> And take pains to hold our leaders accountable for their words and deeds.

If you do that, I have no doubt that truth — and America — will prevail.