Summary
In this article, Bill Maher discusses how liberals abuse history to control the present. Liberals use history as a way to justify their views and remind other people that they are right about things in the past that are not still true today (Maher, 2022). They cannot accept that things have changed or evolved because it would mean there was no reason for them to believe what they believe now. Maher says that “the left’s obsession with race and gender” has led it to rely heavily on history to make its arguments, which allows it to claim ownership of issues that were not even issued at the time (Maher, 2022). The author argues that the left has been using history for political gain since before anyone was politically aware or moved into power positions in government.
The article cites examples from modern politics and history books from earlier times where individual or group members used their access to historical information to advance their agendas. According to Maher, many liberals are unwilling to talk about uncomfortable topics because they are afraid of being called racist or sexist by other liberals who believe in what Maher calls “wokeness” (Maher, 2022). Maher notes that liberal politicians often use historical figures from the Democratic Party as an example of how far they want people to go on social issues like gay marriage and transgender bathrooms.
Relationship to Federalism
This article relates to the topic and readings of federalism because it talks about how a group of people with different ideas on politics can come together and agree on something suitable for everyone. It shows that federalism is crucial because it allows people from different parts of the country or even different countries to come together and work towards a common goal (Maher, 2022). Federalism can help solve problems in society because we can work together instead of fighting against each other like some people do today in America. In this way, federalism balances the central government and its citizens (Maher, 2022). The federal government can only act on behalf of those who have consented to its authority, and the people have the power to resist any form of tyranny that might arise from the government. This article is relevant because it talks about how people can be manipulated into believing things that are against their interests because they are told they have always been true or will always be true.
My Perspective on the Article’s Political Issue
I agree with Maher’s claim that this abuse of history leads to the control of the present by those who use it to forward their agenda. The abuse of history is common, and it happens all too often. It is a sad state of affairs when people fail to learn from past mistakes but instead try to repeat them in their routines. The author explains how historic oppression can be used against present-day oppression and how this kind of thinking has become very popular in liberal circles. Maher then talks about how this kind of thinking can be dangerous because it leads to people using history as an excuse for their own failings or prejudices. There is no need for us all to understand history to have an opinion about it. This is because it is impossible for everyone who reads an article about something historical (like slavery) or hears about something historical (like genocide) will agree on everything that happened in said event/ period.
Reference
Maher, B. (2022). Woke Liberals Abuse History to Control Present. RealClear Politics.