The United States today is as polarized as it has been since the Civil War. Opposing sides, whether left or right, democrat or republican, rural or urban, see each other as the enemy rather than fellow citizens. Conspiracy theories abound and facts are either accepted or denied depending on one’s narrative. Well, as John Adams once said, “Facts are stubborn things.” They don’t go away no matter how much one wishes they would and they can’t be changed to fit the occasion. Many of the issues of today have historical precedents and perhaps the lessons learned will help cut through the noise and division occurring all around us. This blog will attempt to do that. Be forewarned though. Facts are facts. The conclusions reached and lessons learned from historical facts are subject to debate. The facts are not. As Senator Daniel Moynihan once said, “You are entitled to you own opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.”