Congressional ignorance of law, history and reality

Congressional ignorance of law, history and reality
Published 03/16/2011 - 2:20 p.m. EDT

Everyone says stupid things from time to time and most times the flubs can and should be forgiven. When those gaffs come from those who presume to be leaders, one can either laugh at them or get angry. Sometimes both reactions come out at the same time and are equally appropriate.

Members of the US House of Representatives made a big deal of reading the US Constitution when the 112^th Congress convened in January. We were critical later when many of them proved they would not pay heed to constitutional principles when those members voted to continue provisions of the unconstitutional Patriot Act.

Now members are showing more ignorance that can be funny, sad and scary.

Consider first US Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., far from a history scholar. While speaking before a group of tea partiers in New Hampshire Saturday said, "You're true lovers of liberty. You're the state where the shot was heard around the world in Lexington and Concord."

New Hampshire? Really? Wrong. Lexington and Concord are in Massachusetts.

When she was called on the error, Ms. Bachmann admitted to the mistake but reportedly pointed the blame up Pennsylvania Avenue: "That will be the last time I borrow President Obama's teleprompter!"

Cute, but it was her foot in her mouth. She needs to think before speaking…and read some history.

There is also the genius Harry Reid, the Democratic Party senator from Nevada who, in the face of a $14.2 trillion federal debt wants US taxpayers to continue funding a cowboy poetry festival.

Take away that funding, he said and "The thousands of people who attend wouldn't even exist."

The senator should get a grip.

Then there was a comment from US Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill.: "As I've listened, I've heard the Constitution being mentioned a number of times. And I thought of the preamble that simply says that 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'"

Those lines are from the Declaration of Independence, Rep. Davis. Please get your act together or you'll have to attend summer school with Rep. Bachmann.

What's not funny, however, is the setting in which Mr. Davis made the comment. It came during the hearing held by US Rep. Peter T. King:"The Extent Of Radicalization In The American Muslim Community And That Community's Response"

This is frightening in its potential. Even local Republicans (who will not be named) believe that singling out of one group of people such as Muslims represents a new wave of McCarthyism.

It's worse than that. By singling one group of people, the specter of Japanese interment camps rears its ugly head. It is racist, pure and simple, completely ignoring the Timothy McVeighs and other homegrown terrorists who happen to be white and Christian.

Mr. King, a New York Republican, would do well to heed the advice of fellow Republican Ron Paul, of Texas, and look to American foreign policy as the root cause of terrorism that targets the United States.

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