R'Nel: 'The Duggar Distraction'
By Gary R'nel
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It is absolutely astounding to consider how many Americans are enthralled and absorbed with the Duggar family story involving sexual improprieties. Megyn Kelly's interview with the "19 Kids and Counting" stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar captured 3.1 million total viewers Wednesday evening, earning her and the Fox News Network the most watched Kelly File program of the year.
While Americans are mesmerized and bedazzled with this family's dysfunctional existence, events in the global community threaten this nation's freedom, durability and longevity.
The massive cyber breach at the Office of Personnel Management and the Interior Department may have compromised the personal data of roughly four million individuals working in sensitive areas of our government. Authorities are looking at hackers based in China who may be directly employed by Beijing. If confirmed, the incident would be the second major breach by China in less than a year. In addition, Russian hackers' cyber intrusion of the State Department in recent months, gained access to sensitive parts of the White House computer system. The FBI, Secret Service and U.S. intelligence agencies consider the breach among the most sophisticated attacks ever launched against American systems. Throw into the mix planning for cyber attacks on our infrastructure, power grid and banking systems.
America is also under direct assault from ISIS. The group's command and comprehension of the utilization of social media to further its nefarious activities is another example of a direct assault on our Republic. The well funded and sophisticated organization has metastasized throughout the Middle East and gained access to young Americans who feel disenfranchised converting them to domestic jihad.
America also faces many internal challenges including race relations, combustible inner cities, a dysfunctional congress and a lethargic recovery of the U.S. economy particularly as it relates to the middle class.
I am confident that when I have dinner tonight with college buddies the topic du jour will be the Duggars. It is the perfect escape for a very troubled world. An escape from the reality that countries populated by freedom loving peoples could soon witness those very freedoms and liberties under direct assault by fanatical, megalomaniac, dictatorial regimes.