Courage of Convictions: A Response to Terror
Now what?
It's the question that many have been pondering since the insurgent attack on the United States Capitol on Wednesday, January 6, 2021.
Many I've encountered are hoping "we can all just get along". They see January 20, 2021 as a time to "turn the page" and "hopefully, put this dark chapter behind us." Others suggest that "enough is enough" and "once Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take office, we will get back to the business of normal government".
What I find telling about these perspectives, often uttered by both well-meaning people, as well as cynical opportunists, is that they rely on wishful thinking. There is "hope" things can get back to normal. This is the problem.
Many of us believe that this Democratic Republic can be wished back into "normalcy". But the irony of that perspective is that it belies the truth about the "norms" that we rely on to call ourselves a free, fair and open society: The laws that undergird this Democratic Republic.
Instead of reliance on laws, far too many of us are being influenced by "fears" of what could happen. And if I can be frank here, I think that is the epitome of lazy citizenry. In effect, we're allowing the Democratic Republic that is the United States of America to devolve into what can be boiled down to "prison politics", where the strongest rule the roost, the weakest are forced to choose "sides" and there is no room for alternative perspectives or thoughts.
The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and to our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America."
It goes on to lay out the legal foundations that dictate our civil society. It is the wellspring of the laws that govern our behavior and orders our responsibilities as citizens. Article 1, Sections 1-10 of the Constitution lay out the role of Congress in our government. It is only in Article 2 that the role of the Executive Branch is described.
What we all witnessed on January 6, 2021 was an assault on all of our Liberty, affirmatively instigated by a despot - Donald Trump - who seeks to overthrow the system of government in our Republic. The idea of hoping that he will go away and his followers will recede into the darkness is foolhardy. Affirmative action must be taken to not only resist a fascist takeover of our system of government on our own soil.
Now what?
I have said this over and over in conversations with friends and colleagues: We must go back to our First Principles. In our homes, schools and communities, we must ask the questions of those that represent us.
We must interrogate ourselves and ask why we believe the things we believe. We should ask why it is that anti-democratic ideals have infected such a large section of the U.S. populous, who mistakenly believe they, themselves are embodying democratic values. We must inquire how an attack on the symbol of our democratic system could happen in a manner where law enforcement was "caught off guard".
We should also examine why beliefs of racism, misogyny, anti-semitism, violence and generalized hate resonate so broadly amongst those that instigated, supported and participated in the attack on the United States Capitol. I submit that these are "unifying" ideals that despotic leadership capitalize on to create narratives of misplaced grievance, victimhood and fear. They are wielded as weapons to intimidate and control.
I believe we must seek justice under the law to ensure that no person is above the laws of the United States. It is not enough to wish for a despotic leader to exit public life, so that we can get on with life as normal. Just as with other U.S. citizens that break laws in this country, the system of justice must hold that person or persons accountable.
What happened on January 6, 2021 was not an isolated incident or a flashpoint. It was a continuation of the longstanding attempt to restrict democracy to a small few, who believe themselves to be patriots and "real" Americans. For us to "turn the page" or "move on" after January 20th, we will have to confront our own fears and begin living our democratic ideals and convictions in the open.
We must acknowledge and agree upon certain truths, among them that "all men are created equal...and that governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
