In the first quarter of his public life until the Civil War (1841-65), no American laid down a more compelling chastisement of the tyranny at the heart of America’s institutions and social character than Douglass. “Instead, he became one of the greatest champions of its ideals.” According to McCarthy, “He did not allow himself to be corrupted by hatred or hopelessness.” He “won his freedom” and endured many “discriminations,” a nice word for 19th century forms of brutal racism (Douglass was Jim-Crowed more times than he could count).ĭouglass had “every reason to hate America,” says an earnest McCarthy. He went through many “tribulations,” says the congressman, and escaped from slavery when 19 years old (actually 20, a fact easily located). We love those stories, and Douglass certainly did that. In the video McCarthy speaks of Douglass as a great American who overcame terrible odds. Lame, inaccurate history can seem merely insipid, but it can also be dangerous. In a one-minute video, as well as a longer narrative statement, McCarthy and his staff served up a tasteless batch of historical pablum. Instead, as a spoiler, up stepped McCarthy, the House Republican leader, just in time for Valentine’s Day in a gesture of goodwill for Black History Month, to deliver a tribute to the master orator and writer, Douglass. But if we were hoping for at least a weekend off after the second impeachment trial ground to its inevitable end, it was not to be.
Just now many Americans are weary of, indeed fed up with, Republicans’ venality, hypocrisy and lies. He has a portrait of the former slave in his office at the U.S. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., loves the great African American leader Frederick Douglass.
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