There is an old saying that those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.
Now, if you’re not familiar with that saying, another way of saying it is that people will make the same mistakes that people always have made throughout history if they don’t know their history to recognize the mistake to be avoided.
People who push for gun control are perfect examples of folks who don’t know history and, therefore, keep wanting to repeat mistakes that have already been made.
But if you want specific proof, then pay attention to something that Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, wrote in her book (hat tip to here for the lead). Watts wrote on page 19 of her book, Fight Like A Mother,
The power of mothers to effect change is not a new phenomenon: women have been the secret sauce in the progress we’ve made on many social issues throughout history. Just look at Prohibition. In the 1800s, chronic drinking in the United States had contributed to many social problems, including the abuse of women and children. Eventually, women began to organize, which gave rise to the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Because sobriety was considered a Christian value, women—then the religious standard-bearers of American families—were allowed to be on the front lines of the war to eradicate alcohol.
Watts then goes on to compare gun control to the temperance/prohibition movement.
Now, pause to think about that for a minute. So, they were successful in passing prohibition? Yes, I won’t argue that issue.
What I will point out is two problems with using prohibition of alcohol in the U.S. as an example of a “success.” One problem is that prohibition was later repealed because people didn’t want it. I know that will shock Watts to know.
The second problem with comparing prohibition with gun control is that prohibition did not decrease alcohol use in the U.S., and, unfortunately, prohibition directly led to an increase in power and violence by organized crime.
In other words, banning stuff didn’t make the world safer.
If the world were set up the way Shannon Watts thinks that she wants it, it would be a much uglier and more violent world. But she doesn’t know her history, so she wouldn’t know that.
Prohibition in the 1800s? The Volstead Act wasn’t passed until the 1900s.
Mikey – well that is a classic example of how little she actually does know – about just about anything.
I’d be willing (sorta) to give her a bit of leeway if she had said the late 1800s but she broad brushed it.
Amendment XVIII was passed on 16 January 1919. I doubt she knows that.
Give her a break she is only 119 years off and does not know that it was repealed .
Showing that it did not work and caused all sorts of other problems , including an unconstitutional gun law …
A stupid bitch with a cause is a dangerous combination.
Stupid is, Stupid does.
Watts is an uneducated idiot.
If she is a product of our public “schools” of the last 60 or so years then she is an “educated” idiot
Our schools have stopped teaching history as we knew it as we grew up. For example, take a look at the books being used to teach history in the schools, then see where many of the younger generation obtains their so-called knowledge. I have looked at a number of history books and found that maybe 4-6 pages cover the 1850’s through 1870, guess what is missing: 1) State Rights, (2) Most of the Civil War, and (3) reconstruction. Also very little about the founding of this great nation. In the mid 1970’s our Schools stopped teaching Civics/State & Local Government. Remember, this is where learned about our government at it’s various levels, including the three branches of the Federal Govt and what they do and don’t do (no wonder why some in the U.S. Congress have no idea what is up or down). The makeup of State Govt and, more importantly, how the various local govt operate, including the school boards. Our education system is letting us down. No wonder why our children can’t read or write. Math scores are done because the students carry around their cell phones that do everything for them, they can’t even make change without their cell phones. Grown up, people.
I mostly agree with you. However, since you make such a point about learning history, I must correct one error. The U.S. never had a civil war. The war which you refer to that occurred in the 1860’s was not, as nearly everyone claims, a “civil war.” Not by any stretch of the definition. The U.S. invaded the Confederate States of America, a separate and sovereign political body. I suggest that you, and every U.S. citizen, study the history of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation (and subsequent secession), the Constitution of the United States of America, the Federalist Papers (and other writings by the founders and other leaders of the time), and much more that occurred amongst the sovereign states during the time of the Continental Congress.
Don’t ban guns ban itots!!!!
When Liberal got more power in our education system. Lot of good teacher retired or change career. Today teacher are part of the LIBERAL SOCIALIST training by SOCIALIST professor who are bent on destory AMERICA from WITHIN. Just as lot of people think this country is a DEMOCRAY but NOT! IT no longer taught in the classroom since 1990! Every two years they come out with history book that has been change on the TRUTH! Just as they came out with COMMON CORE MATH! 2+2-5???? TEACHER can’t prove anything in common core except pass every child who would normally FAIL THEIR GRADE!
And the next teachers will be AI. Who controls the AI? There is an old saying that holds true today and it was developed by the computer generation… Garbage in, garbage out!
Are you awake yet?
Q I. WWG1WGA !!!
☝ 🐑NO MORE !!!
For all intensive purposes, the war btwn the States was/is known as the Civil War. Nobody knows for sure that the North invaded the South because we were not there. Anybody can write and pass down through history anything they want, but does not make it true. What does it matter at this point anyway? Will not change one thing. We should all learn from it though. Do NOT erase history or you are bound to repeat it. That is why people should NOT take down, demolish, or otherwise destroy Confederate statues, etc.
The “Volstead Act” did create one massive problem. The problem being , that it “enticed” those who would probably not wanted a drink of alcohol , TO DRINK alcohol , just to see what the fuss was all about , or to thumb their nose at authority. More people became addicted , than would have occurred had the law not been instituted .
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