It can be difficult to change hard-held beliefs that later are proven wrong

The phrase “don’t kill the messenger” comes from a long, bloody history of rulers executing the bearers of bad news. In ancient times, messengers often traveled great distances, risking life and limb to deliver critical information. But when that information wasn’t what the ruler wanted to hear, the response was often swift and brutal.

There are lots of examples in history. The Greeks recorded how Persian kings would execute messengers who brought news of military defeats. Then, there was an Armenian king who, upon being informed by a messenger that Roman forces were approaching, had the man executed for bringing such bad news.

After that, nobody wanted to bring the king any bad news, so he was unaware of his enemies’ movements — until they crushed him. So much for “ignorance is bliss.”

Shakespeare, of course, cemented the idea in literature. In “Antony and Cleopatra,” Cleopatra, upon hearing that Antony has married another woman, immediately threatens the messenger, “The first bringer of unwelcome news hath but a losing office.”

These examples warn that when people can’t handle the truth, they lash out at those who dare to speak it.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of “killing the messenger.” He came with a message of love, repentance and truth. But the religious and political elites didn’t like that He exposed their hypocrisy. Instead of listening, they crucified Him.

Galileo said, “Hey, guys, the Earth revolves around the sun.” The Church said, “Nope, heresy!” and put him under house arrest for life. Socrates questioned everything and challenged the status quo, and the Athenian elites put him on trial for “corrupting the youth” and forced him to drink poison. In 1989, Chinese students stood up for freedom and democracy in Tiananmen Square, and the Chinese government sent in tanks to massacre them. It’s illegal to even mention Tiananmen Square today in China.

The lesson from history is that you can undoubtedly silence the truth, but you will also be crushed by reality at some point. You can try to silence facts, but facts don’t go away.

As John Adams famously said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” Winston Churchill put it this way: “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”

Isn’t that what’s happening with Elon Musk? The leftists have decided that Elon is their enemy. But why? Is it because he’s exposing what they’d rather keep hidden?

Perhaps. And yes, what Elon is uncovering may prove scandalous to some elected officials, and criminal in other instances.

But it’s bigger than that. You see, when you string together all of the examples of government corruption, waste and fraud that Elon is uncovering, what you have is a damning indictment of the very foundation of leftist ideology.

Think about it. For decades, Democrats have built their entire worldview around the idea that big government is the solution to society’s problems. More government spending, more regulations, more centralized control — this, they told us, was the key to prosperity and fairness.

But what Elon is uncovering shakes that belief to its core. If the government is as inefficient and wasteful as the numbers appear, then maybe — just maybe — the whole idea of big government as a force for good is flawed. And that’s something the left cannot allow themselves to believe.

It’s what psychologists call cognitive dissonance. This is when people are confronted with evidence contradicting their beliefs. They are mentally conflicted, often painfully so. And instead of changing their beliefs, most people try to rationalize the evidence away, or unfortunately for Elon, to simply “kill the messenger.”

This moment is one of the most painful psychological experiences a person can go through — because it isn’t just about learning something new. It’s about identity. It’s about purpose. It’s about everything you’ve built your life on suddenly feeling unstable.

And if this describes someone reading this column right now, remember that great leaders and successful people are not always right but willing to change when they’re wrong. As leadership expert John Maxwell says, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”

If America is going to move forward, we have to face the facts. We cannot continue to operate under the delusion that big government is efficient and that unlimited spending leads to prosperity.

Killing the messenger has never worked — and it won’t work now.

And if “you can’t handle the truth,” as Colonel Jessup said famously in the movie, “A Few Good Men,” that’s OK.

There’s more than enough of us who will.

Louis R. Avallone is a Shreveport businessman, attorney and author of “Bright Spots, Big Country, What Makes America Great.” He is also a former aide to U.S. Representative Jim McCrery and editor of The Caddo Republican. His columns have appeared regularly in 318 Forum since 2007. Follow him on Facebook, on Twitter @louisravallone or by e-mail at louisavallone@mac.com, and on American Ground Radio at 101.7FM and 710 AM, weeknights from 6 - 7 p.m., and streaming live on keelnews.com.