We can have honest discussions about propriety and the conflicting emotional reactions people have to public images, but the strange controversy over pop-star Lizzo’s playing an historic flute of James Madison’s is a great illustration of the dishonesty of mainstream progressive rhetoric.

It is as clear as a crystal instrument that the mainstream isn’t interested in discourse or common ground.  Instead, their strategy is obviously and undeniably to offend, but with a twist that allows them to retreat with shrug and an accusation of bigotry.

Plainly put, somebody who responds to objections to this…

… by asking how anybody can object to this …

… is not interested in honest discussion, harmony, or social cohesion.  Such people are interested in division and domination of those who have different beliefs from them.

After a quarter century arguing cultural points, I can’t say I care about the propriety of the images, at this point.  The danger is much, much more immediate that we can’t (that we’re not allowed to) draw obvious distinctions and discuss the things we actually disagree about.