Ralph Waldo Emerson often is misquoted [FN1]: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” [FN 2] Without consistency, math (e.g., numerical values are constant), language (words have specific meanings) would be impossible. Today, inconsistency impairs civil discourse.1/7

On 11/25 I re-posted meme of pics of Hitler & trump w/caption “Evil doesn’t die It reinvents itself.” One person posted replies: 1) a pic of former Senator Hillary Clinton w/”Evil” as a caption. REPLY: from my good friend, Paul Ogden, w/whom I frequently disagree: 2/7

“Hillary Clinton is not trying to actively destroy American democracy. You are smart enough to understand the difference and to understand the existential threat to our country that Trump presents.” I’ll add: trump said 2020 allows for termination of The Constitution. [FN3] 3/7

2) “Who did [t]rump lock up? I think he helped free more black people from prison while Biden is partly responsible for mass incarceration of black people.” [FN4] trump will “weaponize” the DOJ if he takes the Oval Office for a 2nd term. [FN5] A problem: trump backers deny facts 4/7.

Consistency is not foolish when civil discourse on any issue is depends upon it. People can deny the conclusion of many that trump beat out James Buchanan as “Worst POTUS in history.” Melania is in the mix. She beat out Mrs. James Buchanan as worst FLOTUS & that’s tough!.5/7

Footnotes: FN1. The words that usually are deleted are underlined here for clarity. FN2. The line appears in the essay “Self-Reliance,” 1841. FN3. “... Fraud of this type allows for the termination of all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in The Constitution.” NYT 12/4/22. 6/7

Footnotes: FN4. There is no authority cited by this person for his assertions, too frequently an aspect of internet replies FN5. The Guardian, 11/22/23. 7/7