In the grand circus of American politics, few spectacles are as entertaining—or as maddening—as the left’s relentless crusade against the very foundations of our society. One could say that the progressives have taken a page from the old hippie communes of the 1960s, where the motto seemed to be, “Cleanliness is next to guiltiness.” Tom Wolfe’s 1987 essay, “The Great Relearning,” serves as a poignant reminder of that time, where every sexual escapade, questionable hygiene choice, and shared cigarette was part of an idealistic rebellion against the past. Unfortunately, the new-age progressives seem to believe that history can simply be rewritten with a splash of paint and a catchy hashtag. Spoiler alert: it cannot.
Fast forward to today’s judicial theatre surrounding Derek Chauvin and George Floyd. The court recently allowed Chauvin’s team to examine George Floyd’s autopsy samples, which has sent the left-wing media into a tizzy. They are clutching their pearls and shouting about justice while the rest of us wonder whether anyone remembers basic criminal justice principles. Chauvin’s conviction, celebrated by many as a great leap toward racial equality, has become a grim reminder of our collective amnesia regarding due process. Like a bad reboot of an already terrible movie, the current narrative feels forced, scripted, and heavily sponsored by the outrage machine.
The situation surrounding Chauvin’s trial was fraught with issues that make one question the very fabric of our judicial system. One only needs to recall the echoes of external pressures—members of Congress making incendiary remarks about potential rioting should the verdict lean in Chauvin’s favor. It’s hard not to imagine a judge, in a moment of pure panic, glancing nervously at the riotous crowds outside the courthouse while making life-altering decisions within. A calm, fair trial might have gone out the window the same way that hygiene did for those incense-loving hippies; suffocated beneath layers of societal expectations and fears.
As the dust settled on the trial, the chorus of media narratives emerged, echoing through the airwaves like a catchy pop tune—“All cops are bad! Justice is only served through unrest!” While some in the media played cheerleader for the looters, conveniently glossing over the destruction, the core truth seemed to get buried under debris. The unfortunate irony, however, is that the loudest voices advocating for “justice” seem to ignore the facts that refuse to align with their carefully crafted narratives. After all, the statistics illustrating crime rates among different demographics are so inconvenient they might as well be on trial themselves.
And so, as we sit in the waning years of the 20th century pretending it’s all 1968 again, we must remember that justice isn’t served by ignoring facts or rewriting narratives to fit a preferred storyline. The left’s venture to dismantle the old codes and traditions of Western civilization in their search for utopia has led to a cultural and moral quagmire. Ironically, this grand experiment has not produced the desired results but has instead unveiled the same old diseases our society has fought against—a rehash of historical ignorance where racism is wrongly attributed and the facts are overshadowed by fervent emotion.
The Christmas wish here may not involve shiny presents or perfectly wrapped boxes, but rather a return to reason—a hope that the full truth surrounding the Chauvin case becomes clear. Enlightenment lies not just in the fight against injustices but also in acknowledging the importance of truth, facts, and fair trials. Whether Chauvin’s mistakes—if they were indeed mistakes—came from pressures as immense as a hippie communal bath or from the chaos of a routine day in law enforcement, one thing remains: a world without proper respect for facts will only lead us to breathe the same old toxic air of mistruths and misunderstandings. The hope for renewal lies in the clarity of truth, and perhaps then, we can finally begin to build a society that truly honors justice, colorblindness, and yes, even a little bit of cleanliness too.
