Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
At the end of the year, we are on the razor’s edge of many things that soon may blow up.
Americans are far beyond President Joe Biden’s serial untruths of some eight years that he never discussed Hunter Biden’s various get-rich-quick schemes.
All were predicated on the perception of foreign interests purchasing from the Biden family the influence of then-senator, vice president, and possibly soon-to-be President Joe Biden.
The Bidens now risk exposure to criminal charges of multimillion-dollar tax fraud, perjury, influence selling, and bribery as congressional committees and a special prosecutor unravel years of tangled-up quid pro quos.
A newly indicted Hunter remains reckless and unpredictable. He continues to publicly blame his mounting legal problems on everyone and everything other than his own selfish excesses.
Hunter deliberately involves his family and may even bring down his own father. His tax lawyers have previously threatened to call President Joe Biden to testify on his behalf under oath.
He continues to court public scandal by hawking amateurish “representational” paintings to the quid-pro-quo wealthy and wannabes wishing clout with the White House.
His laptop messages reveal a prodigal son angry that his bagman services were never fully appreciated by his familial beneficiaries.
Hunter’s wayward laptop is a felonious trove of drug-addled, illicit Petronian excess and sex, interspliced with his self-incriminating family communications on the distributions of pay-for-play payoffs.
Hunter’s business aides will be called back to elaborate on their already incriminating testimonies.
The contents of Joe Biden’s various alias emails will soon see new scrutiny.
Given Biden’s physical and ethical frailties, age, and bad polling, the left-wing media and Democratic hierarchy may cease circling the wagons around him. Instead, some may fuel the effort to sandbag a 2024 Biden candidacy by releasing or even leaking incriminating evidence.
Harvard President Claudine Gay’s tenure is even more tenuous than Biden’s. Harvard can either claim to be the nation’s preeminent academic institution or continue to protect a plagiarist as president—not both.
It can profess to be at the center of academia’s moral and intellectual universe, but not if its president cannot punish those on campus who daily call for the destruction of Israel and the genocide of the Jewish people. Gay cannot lie to Congress that Harvard in the past has also allowed “hate speech” against entire groups the way it now allows against Jews.
Nor is it sustainable for Gay to fob off calls for her resignation as “racist.” In fact, the more the public learns about her academic career, the more she seems to be a lifetime beneficiary, not a victim of racially-weighted policies.
Since the October 7 Hamas massacre of 1,200 Jews, anti-Israeli/pro-Hamas protests, often violent, have swept the Western world, particularly in the big cities and on campuses of America.
Protestors no longer distinguish being anti-Israeli from being anti-Jewish. Now they just openly mouth anti-Semitic chants and harass individual Jews.
Almost every hallowed monument—from the Lincoln Memorial to the White House gates, nearly every cherished national icon from the famed Christmas tree in New York’s Rockefeller Center to New York’s Naivety scene, and our most famous infrastructure from the Manhattan Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge—has either been swarmed, defaced, or disrupted by pro-Hamas demonstrators.
Americans are growing weary of these escalating protests for a variety of reasons. Most remember that the October 7 war started not with Israeli preemptive attacks on an independent Gaza, but only after Hamas killers launched a sneak attack to commit atrocities against Jews residing in Israel.
The current war is waged between a constitutional state of free elections and a cruel, autocratic terrorist clique.
Indeed, Hamas has refused negotiations over a ceasefire that would have led to internationally conducted free elections for the people of Gaza—something forbidden by enriched Hamas kingpins ensconced in luxury abroad.
Many of the loudest and most violent anti-Jewish protestors in the U.S. are immigrants, green card holders, or on student visas. That fact is confusing to Americans.
Why would those who have fled despotic regimes in the Middle East to study, work, or reside in a free America, once safely here, rally for the very dictatorships they left behind and apparently do not wish to return to?
Why trash the very foundation and values of their American hosts that ensure their newfound freedoms?
For weeks, the American people have been relatively silent as they digested these ongoing catastrophes. But at some point, their patience will run out.
Americans will then collectively conclude that Joe Biden has never been truthful about vast ill-gotten funds that have enriched his family; that Harvard is no longer preeminent or even prestigious; and that people who do not like us, our laws, and our values should try cheering on the work of Hamas from their own homes.
This is excellent and intelligent. Thank you kindly …
And you’ve only described the tip of the iceberg, Dr. Hanson. Blessings and peace for you and yours in 2024, but I think it will make 1968 seem like a walk in the park by comparison.
It’s an incredible time to be alive in this world, no more excuses to these radical leftists who know exactly what they’re trying to do, destroy America and the western civilization As We Know it. Nothing new here we know about it just echoing. Trump 2024!
So elegantly said. VDH, you’re a treasure.
My patience has already run out. It’s time to get the water cannons out and end these demonstrations. Or revoke their visas and green cards.
This was painful to read! Though narrow in scope it ipedimized the essence of what might very well bring America to its knees if as a nation we refuse to face and act to preserve what us and the world use to respect about America and its history.
We as a nation used to declare inour trials as a nation remind ourselves,”IN GOD WE TRUST”. I have yet to hear anything close, to date!
Thank you again.
Is this to be a predecessor, or what are the parallels, to religious war as seen or described, maybe only in a general way, in history? Do you have examples? How can this be described as similar and different to Rome? I hope the question is not to long. Thank you again.
Great writing as usual
This was painful to read. Though narrow in scope it ipedimized the essence of what might very well bring America to its knees, if as a nation we refuse to face up and act to preserve what we and the world use to respect about America and its history.
We as a nation used to declare in our trials as a nation, a reminder, “IN GOD WE TRUST”.
I hope the American people, as a collective, are truly seeing through the smoke and mirrors, hypocracy and affronts to America.
Bravo, Victor Davis Hanson! 🌹
Nobody has to “like” Israel, but they better not hate them. If you curse Israel, then you’ll be cursed. If you bless Israel, then you’ll be blessed. How did “from the river to the sea” turn out for Haman? Reference Esther 7:10. Oh, by the way Joe/Hunter/Gay/Anybody, it eventually all comes back on ya.
Another installment of endless glorious summaries of well documented affronts to our land of the free, and home of the brave predicting the inevitable breakout of fed-up-ness. The stagnancy of these predictions is now well beyond obvious and the revolution poised in the woods and weeds is long overdue.
And what will the people do? What did they do when Antifa burned cities, when our own govt canceled the Bill of Rights during Covid, when they continued to push unproven and probably harmful vax, when they allowed an open border? What will the people do when justice fails Biden, Hunter, Gay, illegal residents rioting against Jews? I fear they will continue to sleep.
Tom, I understand and share your concerns and frustrations. My hope is that the American people will rebel against the the constant, nonstop lies which are destroying our great country. Even the most patient and kind person will anger when they are continually poked in the eye. Especially when the person doing the poking is smiling!
“Americans will then collectively conclude that Joe Biden has never been truthful about vast ill-gotten funds that have enriched his family; that Harvard is no longer preeminent or even prestigious; and that people who do not like us, our laws, and our values should try cheering on the work of Hamas from their own homes.” If only…unfortunately I feel it is past the point of no return. I try not to be so pessimistic, but it actually seems like our country is doomed. I do thank you though, Mr. Hanson, for all of your time and effort, in keeping the public informed.
Dr. Hanson,
I’ll share that I’ve been busy creating 60 FB “Reels” using your ideas.
All credit to you.
I enjoy your podcast, Sir.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/893688335532062
Great article! And True. Why won’t they arrest these people and charge them and send them back home. Biden and this border is dereliction of duty. I loved listening to you and your insight. It’s getting scary out here. Keep up the great work! You always 100% correct.
Love your work.
Boom! Right over the target!
How you find time to write so many poignant pieces is a gift to our civil society. I always look forward to reading your work and I am never disappointed. Thank you, Victor.
There are some silver linings to the Hamas atrocity, though purchased at a horrific cost.
The anti-Semites are exposed, along with the running-dog “elite” Universities. It’s created a massive rift in all the institutions controlled by the Left – Schools, Big Tech, Media, Hollywood, Finance, (the majority of) the Internet & Democrats. Trump may well stroll into his 2nd term.
And Hamas will be destroyed.
Amen, amen.
VDH is always a beacon of reality in the very unstable times we live in. I am no different than millions of other Americans who are fed up with the lies and deceit.
American people, in general, are well read and current on the events facing us.
Sadly our biggest threat today is from within our boarders.
With regard to my last sentence, someone once said “who would have thunk it?”
I think he meant to say nativity, not naivety.
Nice catch.
The choice in 2024 is 4 yrs of Biden or 4 yrs of Trump. In that case, with no enthusiasm, I’ll vote for Biden.
WOW! Did you not just read VDH’s article…lol
This just goes to prove that you “can not cure stupid”. Sorry for my bluntness, but its true.
Time to go transgender and change your name to Cassandra Hanson! Tongue in cheek statement from a fan. For those not familiar with the Iliad, Cassandra was a prophetess doomed to prophesy accurately, but cursed by the gods to be ignored and not believed and to have no effect on events. Hope I am wrong and Americans wake up finally.
If there is one bright spot in the current congress it is James Comer’s dogged pursuit of the truth surrounding Joe Biden Inc.
We now know that Hunter’s sleazy schemes were not confined to some one-off sketchy incident like Watergate, but involved numerous showers of cash from a host of different players all hoping for something in return. And we also know that the Bidens have been enabled by corrupt elements in the IRS, intelligence community, and DOJ that have shielded them from any criminal liability.
But the jig may be up. Does anyone buy Joe’s feigning ignorance of his son’s business dealings or Hunter’s pathetic attempt to portray himself as a victim of politics or the Media’s contortions to convince us there is nothing to see here?
It is often said that Hunter’s crack addiction, whoring, and other reckless and manipulative behaviors are the outward manifestations of a troubled human being who has never recovered from the tragic loss of his mother.
Another explanation of Hunter’s pathologies could be that they are the necessary effects of being exploited by his father.
It’s entirely possible that Comer is playing you and me…all bark and no bite!
Dr. Hansen: I read many of your posts at various websites and am surprised by your optimism that Americans will, in the absence of some 9-11 magnitude event (it would obviously need to be bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing), suddenly come to their senses and, in the colloquial, “throw the bums out”. The “bums” are much more numerous than simply Biden and Gay and Americans could as easily conclude that it would be easier to dispose of the Jews than the growing Hamas wing of the Democrat party. I hope you are right, but I do not see a quick or favorable outcome with our current press, leadership, and hostile deep state. I don’t believe I am saying anything that you have not written elsewhere, so, again, I simply wonder at your optimism.
I expected the American people to recoil from the party endorsed and participated in rioting in our streets for months in 2020, but they didn’t. I’m not overly confident that they will do so now that that same party is embracing genocide on behalf of a bunch of terrorist barbarians.
I always question my view of world events, wondering if I’m simply in a loop of cognitive dissonance. However, when a true scholar of Dr. Hanson caliber gives writes so eloquently of matters I worry about daily, I feel I’m not simply misinterpreting events. It Is a very frightening time for those of us who see the danger, and yet, it would appear that our government is actively promoting these terrible events when their role should be to stop them. What do we do as citizens when the leadership of our country seems to put us at the end of the line (if we are lucky) and yet, expects us to foot the bill for our own destruction. Dr. Hanson, I appreciate you speaking about these ongoing issues, regardless of how hopeless I sometimes feel after reading your works. Thank you.
You have captured exactly how I feel. Thank you.
I’m in awe of how clearly you have blasted three areas which are aggravating to the right thinking people of this country… God bless you Mr Hanson!
I’m in awe of how clearly you have blasted three areas which are aggravating to the right thinking people of this country… God bless you Mr Hanson!
Dr Hanson, you’re a national treasure; for your insights and perspicacity I am continually grateful.
I am not “weary” of this relentless BS – I am mad as hell, and I intend to vote for anyone who promises to end the madness. People like me are being labelled “far right” – I am not far right; I even voted for Jerry Brown once. (Forgive me Lord).
Thank you Dr. Hanson for your clear, factual and insightful analysis of the current situation. We are reaching a breaking point, which if reached will cause havoc not seen in hundreds of years. Will our republic survive? Hard to tell, but it’s not looking good.
Mr. Hanson, sadly, regarding the civil war and Haley – both the questioner and Haley are incorrect. The Civil War was fought to preserve the Union and, in particular, over economics. Slavery was initially only a part of the economic concerns. Freeing the slaves did not become a major issue until later on as the war progressed.. In fact, in the beginning, Lincoln was pretty much indifferent to slavery and even proposed having slaves transported out of the country back to Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. History can be a pain.
Victor, Many….no, most Americans blithely go along so long as their bellies are full, and the bars, clubs and concerts are open. Their unsung matra is “things are going well until they are not.” Unfortunately most things are
going very badly just under the thin veneer of pleasure. Ted in Milwaukee
Dr Hanson, the only way to regain order after a Republican victory will be deportations and temporary martial law; your thoughts
USA can no longer indulge the traitors and turncoats. Expulsus maximus!
Excellently written, as usual. But please, could I be spared that picture which goes with this article? Please?
On the day after Christmas, US Destroyers and carrier-launched Super Hornets downed 12 drones, 3 anti-ship ballistic missiles, and 2 cruise missiles aimed at land targets over a 10-hour period. Details are available at usni.org. Couple this activity with the drone attack on Dec. 23rd on the tanker Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea that was 800 miles from the launch point in Iran, and we see a very troubling picture. Drones that can hit a moving target several hours away from their launch point are an escalation in technical capability, at the very least. Moreover, our repeated interception of the disparate variety of missiles must provide our adversaries with a growing knowledge of our technology, which will ultimately lead to improved tactics and the weapons produced by Iran. The administration seems to be quite happy to just play defense which only emboldens our adversaries. I often wonder how much of the chaos we see is due to ideological differences exacerbated by a growing sense of contempt for our weakness. 500 sorties over a three-day period could level the launch points in both Iran and Yemen, and such a response is long overdue. Destroy their ability to make trouble is much to be preferred to pretending we can deal with it until we can’t.
Last paragraph… WILL Americans collectively conclude this or is the momentum irreversible without bloodshed?
A key question is whether the pro-Hamas protesters are ignorant and poorly educated, anti-Semitic to the core, or merely as stupid as a pile of rocks. Given that so many American teachers truly don’t teach to a reasonable extent, #1 is truly part of the answer.
Re Biden, the key question is not why his poll numbers are so surprisingly low to so many, but why are they so high to such an astounding percentage of the population, given he’s probably the second worst president in US history.
As always Dr Hanson you shine light over some of the darkest issues impacting the American society today, and if we don’t stop it in 2024, the issues that will impact us years to come.
God Bless.
PS: Eagerly waiting for your new book!!!
Beautifully written, thank you VHD
I think that its worth noting, as the essayist, Douglas Murray, has that the difference between the Nazis atrocities against Jews and the Hamas atrocities is that the Nazis tried to hide some of theirs, whereas Hamas boasts about theirs.
The ignorant and the useful idiots in the ranks of anti-israel protesters need to be called out at every opportunity.
Richard,
Just finished reading Douglas Murray’s excellent book Bloody Sunday: Truth, Lies, and the Saville Inquiry.
Another succinct comment on the world today. America must rise up in November ad rid us of the heedless, mindless, morally void leftists which iare the Democrats today.
It is crystal clear that the massive invasion on our southern border by over 8,000,000 law breakers from more that 190 nations across the globe, added to the 25,000,000 already here, many who hate America, is an orchastrated Clowered-Pivin Strategy. Overwhelm the systems, administrative, health, education and welfare causing violence and shortages, draining the budgets of the states and federal coffers is the goal.
When the next POTUS asumes office, be it President Trump or another able Conservative, the chaos will be so wide spread that it is likely Martial Law would be an option to restore order. Immediate screams of “dictatorship” will be heard coast to coast. The US is experiencing an insurection right now, and a civil war is the expected outcome.
Thanks you Victor! You are correct in saying “at some point their patience will run out”. There are many ways in which the American people can express their dissatisfaction and frustration with the abject mess which is the biden administration. I’m sure the progressive marxists have anticipated most, if not all, of these options. It would be interesting to know which one they hope the American people will choose.
Obama, what he know about Joe. What did the FBI and the CIA know about Joe?? Is the FBI protecting Joe to save Obama?? This is all rotten !!
Nicely sums up much of the razor’s edge.
My greatest quandary with all that’s going on is has any other nation, in history, have such hate for itself?
I have been listening to VDH for several months now. I have found that I agree with him 100% of the time, which is more than I can say about my wife of 43 years. He is able to detail his opinions with data and enhance this with a historical perspective. Though I am in agreement with VDH, I frequently rely on his rationalizations in my discussions with people on current affairs to better convey salient issue points. I have found VDH to be honest and respectful and I am not aware of him displaying ANY offensive language or behavior. Despite of this, there are still morons( the same individuals who’s only argument to any facts presented involve the Left’s favorite response of Racism) who somehow find it acceptable to disparage Victor. Keep it up, Victor. You are the best!
Right on the mark and beautifully written. I enjoyed it very much.
Q. Why would those who have fled despotic regimes in the Middle East to study, work, or reside in a free America, once safely here, rally for the very dictatorships they left behind and apparently do not wish to return to?
A. BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT THEY WERE WERE SENT HERE TO DO! (before they can return home)