Historic or a Footnote? Memorable vs. Trivial
When something is truly “historic’’ it’s etched into your memory, touching someone’s soul
Newsreaders keep saying each day of impeachment is “historic.’’ The official definition: “famous or important in history, or potentially so.’’ Something talked about nearly every day for three years isn’t historic.
Historic moments are unforgettable. You know them by heart. What historic moments do you remember? Where you can instantly recall where you were? Probably 9/11? Which presidential moments?
Dark moments, joyous moments. Moments that changed America. Moments you can quote.
Moments that changed everything. Watching the news, I’m flashing back to August 9, 1974. Richard Nixon became the first and only president to resign. People were shocked. We’d never seen anything like it before.
You could feel the emotion.
I was just 9 and felt called to grab our family tape recorder, sit it next to the little black and white TV and record Nixon as he uttered urforgettable words like:
“Those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.’’
History or future Trivia?
I’m sitting here trying to watch the wall-to-wall congressional hearings and debate on impeachment and keep thinking “I’ve heard all this before.’’
Hours spent saying the same things over and over. Very little new. Hours over minutes of a phone call.
News is supposed to be new and none of this is really new. News ratings are dropping because calling something “historic” doesn’t make it historic.
When Congress debated whether to go to war in 1991, those were riveting debates. The outcome would decide the fate of nations and lives.
In this debate, we already know the outcome. Few to no minds have been changed by the testimony and debates. When Bill Clinton was impeached 20 years ago, there was at least some uncertainty over how it would go.
Not so this time.
Richard Nixon’s announcement that he was resigning isn’t as memorable as his August 9 farewell remarks, delivered off the cuff as he was leaving. Watch some of these moments and the way news people and the people around him reacted.