“Sail Away”

Slave traders transfer captives to a ship along the western coast of Africa for shipment across the Atlantic Ocean to enslavement in the Americas. (1881 engraving; Grafissimo, Getty Images)

Recently, on June 24, 2021, the Chair of the Republican Study Committee, US Representative Jim Banks of Indiana, released an ironclad monster strawman argument voicing as official an opposing viewpoint to the bogeyman named Critical Race Theory as we may ever get.

“We are in a culture war,” wrote Rep. Banks. “On one side, Republicans are working to renew American patriotism and rebuild our country. On the other, Democrats have embraced and given platform to a radical element who want to tear America down.”

Sometimes, being “an Old” has its advantages, like real memories of cultural lessons learned along the way to Old Age. Way back in 1972, for example, the brilliant satirical songwriter Randy Newman foretold and put the politically correct, anti-Critical Race Theory, American history lesson to music in the imagined voice of a slave-in-the-making. Check it out.

“In America,” Newman wrote, “you get food to eat; Won’t have to run through the jungle and scuff up your feet. You just sing about Jesus and drink wine all day. It’s great to be an American.”

“According to polling for Heritage Action for America done by OnMessage, Inc. and presented to the Republican Study Committee at the Conservative Consensus Conference hosted by The Heritage Foundation,” continued Rep. Banks, “79% of those polled agree with Republicans and never want children taught…