Most of the frequent readers of this space should know, today, how upset I still am over the actions of Jan. 6, 2021, in our nation's capital -- Washington D.C.
And I am sure most of the readers of this space are also just as upset, horrified and indignant and still fuming about the actions of the mob that attempted to thwart the Electoral College and its final assessment of the 2020 November General Election in America.
Now I am also not so naïve to think that there are not some of those like-minded people who went to Washington D.C. to march on the nation's capital within this readership.
Have they, after the past few days, seen the real light of truth and justice? I am hopeful some have, but I am fearful that many still have not seen the error in their ways or the ways of those whom they follow as assessing these actions as wrong and hurtful to our democracy in this nation.
And so I turn to the words, written, by a former state representative for whom I have respect and knowing where his heart is amidst all this turmoil.
It was what I read from Dan Douglas' own pen that made me have some faith, amidst all this turmoil. Douglas of rural Bentonville, is, sadly a retiring state representative in Arkansas.
What he has written has really resonated with the parallel thoughts I wanted to pen in this space.
Call me old-fashioned, but when I read something from someone else that needs to be said, or highlighted, or published -- well, I'll step back every time to share these 600-700 words with them.
Now there were plenty of sound bites, as I call them, offerings in print and on the electronic media -- television, radio, podcasts, Tweets and Twitter accounts from those currently serving in elective office.
Their opinions also are valuable, helpful and give a fair assessment of their outrage and disgust with the mob's actions.
Most of the current cast of politicians, from our Senior U.S. Sen. John Boozman, Congressman Steve Womack of Rogers, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and down to our local state senators and state representatives from Benton and Washington County, are all calling for calm or outright dismissal of these untruths that cannot be factually proven.
They decry these outright untruths of a rigged election that have been repeated and repeated and repeated by politicians and leaders who know these untruths to be just that -- untruthful. But some insist on their repeating them ad nauseam to the American public.
Again, I go back to the earnestness and truthfulness of these words from former State Rep. Douglas.
And here they are:
"What a sad day it is for our country!
"But I can't say that I am surprised. In the 8 years I served in the (Arkansas) House of Representatives, I have seen hatred and distrust grow and proliferate.
"I have seen Republicans call Democrats evil and Democrats call Republicans hateful and uncaring.
"I see families torn apart over politics and friends that will not speak to one another.
"But take it from one that has been in the middle of this political mess, there are good and caring, honest and trustworthy, good-intentioned people in both parties.
"There are also self-serving people in both parties.
"But there always have been.
"The difference today is that there are too many places to get unverified news and information today.
"And what most people forget is that the more viewers or readers that these so-called news sources get, the more money they get.
"Believe it or not, it's still all about the money.
"And they have learned from some television preachers that the way to get people to send their money in is to scare the hell out of them.
"So that is where we are today, a country divided, divided by outlandish news sources and blogs that intentionally misrepresent the facts to scare and increase their audience to put more money in their own pockets.
"A sad day for our country indeed," wrote Douglas.
I might add just this footnote:
May the Constitution of the United States continue to be upheld. And May God Bless America in these awful times.
--Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.