February 20, 1839 should be marked as a day of infamy in American history. On that historic and infamous day, Congress banned the practice of dueling in the District of Columbia.
With that historic vote, we ended the one purifying element in the U.S. electoral system. As a result, we have the well established, bought and paid for Congress that exists today
Just imagine if duels had been allowed to remain legal. How many entrenched congressional representatives and senators would have been eliminated? Seniority would no longer be an issue.
Since refusing a duel was considered cowardly, our congressional representatives could not decline to duel since it would doom their chances for reelection. In addition, no elected official would want to stay around too long since age would slow them down and make them easy targets.
Just imagine in your mind's eye if dueling were made legal, the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate facing off at 12 paces early one morning in D.C. - it boggles the mind. (It would also be great television.)
No one would want to be committee chairpersons since younger, newly elected representatives and senators would be challenging them to duels all the time. Entrenched seniority would be meaningless.
Just think about it – this would be better than term limits! No one would be willing to bankroll an election. Their investment could be lost very quickly with a well-placed shot from a dueling pistol. Imagine a Congress constantly purifying itself with new blood - the electorate would have their legislature back.
One valid criticism is that no elected representative would do anything for fear of becoming controversial and ending up in a duel. It seems to me that would be a lot better than what we have now.
I would hope that a group of patriotic American citizens would form a committee for the restoration of legalized dueling in D.C. It could be the beginning of the saving of the U.S. democracy.
Brother Giovanni for Pizzaonian News Network
On This Day: Dueling Outlawed in DC
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/Feb/On-this-Day--Dueling-is-Outlawed-in-D-C---.html
Editor's note: Brother Giovanni has returned to Pizzaonia and his new assignment as public relations director for Pizzaonian conglomerate, Pizza digogo DiVinci. This editorial is his last assignment for the Worldonian Bureau, Pizzaonian News Network.
Abe Surdity, Bureau Chief for Pizzaonian News Network, Worldonia