History, if permitted, will remember ours as a defining moment.

                  I say “if permitted” because one side in America’s current civil war favors the replacement of history with self-serving fantasy, where losers are winners and black hats white. Truth for them is treachery to the tribe, heresy, punishable by immolation in the public square.

                  Fanaticism invariably catches rationalists flat-footed. But, but, we stutter, that makes no sense, it’s not true, here’s proof! As if Faith could be refuted by fact. To the true believer belief, not evidence, measures truth. It is so if they know it so. Disbelievers are the Devil’s deputies, who must be destroyed for the wellbeing of all. Under no condition should their words be heeded, for they speak with forked tongues.

                  We may gawk slack-jawed as the Nameless One swears to improbable nonsense, but it’s possible he’s no more lying than a Christian when they recite the creed. He is asserting his truth, which, vouchsafed by the divine, cannot be gainsaid. To doubt the divine is to damn oneself. Extermination of the damned is a public service.

                  Whether the Nameless One believes his nonsense or, a flimflam, fakes his fanaticism to infatuate his followers, is impossible to judge. Maybe both. Maybe deep down he knows he’s lying but to admit his imposture would be suicidal, so he can’t. His repetitive late-night babble sounds catechistic: declare anything often enough and it becomes true. To his followers he’s a saint, maybe (with any luck) a martyr, and to onlookers he’s a lunatic.

                  That his lunacy has infected so many Americans is surprising, but not unprecedented. Throughout history, groups have gone berserk. Christians are lunatics if you adjudge the Resurrection hokum.

                  Democracy is hamstrung coping with fanaticism. Democracy is predicated on the right of an individual to their point of view. We debate to decide direction, with Reason our referee. Fanaticism ridicules such ground rules. If God told me a truth, what human can dispute it? Who can contradict God?

                  History is a child of Reason. History believes in following evidence where it leads with no foregone conclusions. To History, truth is imperfect because evidence is partial and misleading. Reason never knows for sure. Faith hunts for evidence to prove what it already knows. Evidence that doesn’t support its creed can’t be true.

                  Fundamentally opposed, these two mindsets are irreconcilable. They can’t peaceably coexist. One or the other must prevail.

                  America’s current contest is as much existential as political. Will Reason or Faith prevail? Will we be governed by debate or decree? Will we seek evidence or suppress it?

                  This can only be a battle to the death. The victor will define direction not just for America but for much of mankind. Are there infinite truths, partial and debatable, or a single truth, absolute and inarguable? Will Reason govern us or force?

                  The Nameless One has been clever weaponizing Reason against itself. Freedom of speech means freedom to lie. Our justice system is warped to produce injustice. Confusion, not enlightenment, is the press’s purpose. War is not war, etc.

                  The good news about our moment is the news is so bad. Deft at lying, this crew has proven inept at governing. Everything they touch rots. War, business, economics, social justice, health, even monument manufacture, they’re lousy at them all. The American people will discard them, I predict, not because we favor Reason over Faith, but to get a good night’s sleep.