On This Day In History Dec 22 – Dreyfus Shows Why Not To Trust Governments

History has lessons and echoes for us. For example, from Dec 22:

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism.[/perfectpullquote]

Put not your trust in governments in the grip of collective delusions. Actually, put not your trust in governments perhaps.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]In 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of Eastern Europe’s hard-line Communist rulers, was toppled from power in a popular uprising.[/perfectpullquote]

Possibly, how to deal with governments that aren’t to be trusted. Although machine gunning might be thought a tad extreme these days.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]In 2001, Hamid Karzai was sworn in as prime minister of Afghanistan’s interim government.[/perfectpullquote]

That government worked well, didn’t it?

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The president of Guinea, Lansana Conte, died nearly a quarter of a century after seizing power in a coup; he was believed to be in his 70s.[/perfectpullquote]

Ahem.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]1958 – France — General Charles de Gaulle
General Charles de Gaulle is elected President of France with a large majority.[/perfectpullquote]

Well……it’s not all bad though, today’s the day that Chipmunk Song reached number 1

And the world’s first crossword was published:

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]1913 – U.S.A. — First Cross Word Puzzle
1913 : The first crossword puzzle was published, which was created by Arthur Wynne, a Liverpool journalist, and published as a “word-cross” puzzle in the New York World[/perfectpullquote]