*Takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly*
How do I address this without seeming to preach? How do I talk about what I’m feeling without looking like I’m a standing heap of condemnation? There’s condemnation aplenty already, rightly so and I think it’s inherent in what I am trying to explain. But I really am trying to explain it, I think it’s a valuable point of view in these times.
I’m active where politics is discussed, duh, no shit Sherlock, tell ’em something they didn't know, right? Well, I’ve read through so many versions of why we should or should not impeach, all of them having to do with the tactics of it and the chess match between the executive branch and Congress that my eyes are wobbling a little.
It’s grave. We are at a place we've never been before. No scofflaw of such seemingly infinite arrogance and entitlement has ever held the office that Trump now besmirches. No American population in the past has been so shameless and lacking in honor as to support such a person into absurdity. That can no longer be said. I understand that the majority of people voted for Hillary Clinton but he’s THERE now and a whole political party is shilling for him. Too many find his crime and his disrespect for the nation’s laws and people to be titillating and “Okay!”
I bathed in the Barr testimony this morning, that was icky. I’m pretty passionate so I took it in digestible pieces because, yeah, my blood pressure isn't a thing but why risk it, eh? It’s very ugly what that testimony reveals, like watching Good and Evil toss epithets back and forth at each other, opening salvos in a coming war (Evil always loses, see any plot, ever).
I see a few people, not very many, really, not even close to a representative majority of all Americans, who are shameless and brazen in their personal dishonor. Them proving their lack of honor sets the stage for us as a nation to now repudiate that and prove ours. As a matter of fact, it demands we do so.
Tactics and strategy aside, some things are visceral, yes, for a nation too, and the outright disrespect and contempt Barr showed the rest of us during his testimony and with his recent actions kicks you right in the gut. I watch that and think, that’s what is coming if we don’t put a stop to this, we’ll be a nation where the powerful always win and justice is a commodity, bought and paid for, used to keep those with fewer resources in line. These people have done their homework, they've worked hard over the years to make concepts like honor or integrity seem very uncool. They've hyped the “MeMeMe!- anything goes as long as you win!” society because it gives them cover. The more people who seek shelter in an insolent lack of shame, the more justified they feel in doing whatever it takes to win. I keep thinking, there won’t be any more people like Erin Brockovich in our future if these people win. They’d love a nation where there are no real consequences for their actions.
Honor is self imposed and honor means there is a limit. The honor of a nation’s people mean there are self imposed limits, positions and actions that we all say are too far, things that cause us to gasp and get angry when we see someone doing them- because doing “That” isn't who we are or who we mean to be. Sometimes we have to act to save our honor and strengthen the idea of it, the outrage alone isn't enough. Outrage doesn't affect those people who no longer feel shame. Indeed, the world is watching us, we’re America, it’s important to them. They want to see what we decide, what kind of people will they have to deal with in the future. So do I. It’s important to us too. What kind of people are we going to be? Those are supposedly our representatives- Trump our face to the world.
Kick and scream about it all you like, people and Peoples get the tests that they get in life. This is ours, and it’s happening now. Everyone watching Barr yesterday, and indeed, the whole tawdry and demeaning B-movie theater they’re making of our hallowed halls and institutions knows it’s all wrong. I’m not fooled by the smoke and lies, neither are you. The totality of the narrative they’re putting out is designed to shield Trump and many others, in my estimation, from criminal prosecution for real, committed crimes. We KNOW this, it’s just that obvious. It’s shamefully obvious, actually.
It’s dishonorable of them for trying it, but that doesn't touch me or our people, that’s on them! No, our honor can only be dirtied and cheapened by our own actions once we know the truth. It would be dishonorable to not fight this tooth and nail. Not doing so would put another spike into the coffin of the much vaunted American integrity. So much for our ideals, it’s just one more thing we said a lot about but never meant! I don’t want that to be true.
Why is it in the criminal’s interest to do away with integrity and honor? Quite simply, if they can get a whole world to shrug and say “So what, everyone does it, that’s just how it is!”- why, they've won a huge victory because when that is “Just how it is”, then people stop expecting justice, people stop having an expectation of Rights and people stop dragging the malefactors into court for their transgressions because “Everybody does it.” or “They always get away with it, what can you do but keep your head down and try to survive!” That’s a world view many of my Russian acquaintances have, by the way, it seems like it’s in their blood, their answer for everything.
What a horrible vision of a nation or world, where we no longer care enough to defend our very honor, the very thing that stops most of us from doing what the bad people do, because what they do is wrong no matter how many excuses they dream up for it! Why do we help refugees and grant asylum? That used to be easy, because it’s the right thing to do, it is the honorable thing to do. Why do you not steal from a business partner or defraud people who invested with you in good faith? Because you just don’t! These things used to be understood and now we’re having to prove them again in the face of vociferous attacks.
Already I see calls for democrats to seek out help from other nations to win future elections. What’s good for them is good for us, right? Whoops! There it is! That’s a degradation of the nation’s ideals and where does it stop if we let it start? That is exactly what they want us to do! Because that’s exactly what Trump and McConnell, among nefarious others, tried and the honorable thing for us to do now is say no to any of that, not give them some sort of weird justification by going there ourselves!
We need to say, emphatically, that’s never going to be allowed here. Along with money laundering, vindictive prosecutions, emoluments violations, illegal dissemination of classified material or any of the host of other things coming steadily to light.
We need to say “Not ever!”, it’s wrong, it is criminal or should be if it isn't and beyond all of that it is dishonorable. I don’t need a law to stop me from murdering “John” because I’m angry that he got the lottery ticket I wanted. Sure, I could bash him over the head and take it, but the law says not to do that and further, my own honor says that is deeply wrong. Honor demands that I congratulate him and hope for better luck next time. Honor demands I learn a little bit about personal humility. Honor helps make me a better me.
Honor demands I don’t lie, cheat and steal from anyone, not for any reason, not under any pretext. If I make a mistake, if I fail, I admit that and try to fix it- try not to do it again, try to do better. That’s honor and it was right there in the mix as Americans before us shaped the very laws that Barr, Trump and the entire Republican party are now saying aren't what they've been all these decades and centuries. Honor is for suckers isn't an American ideal, I don’t want it to become one either.
I’ve read that Speaker Pelosi is waiting to see that public opinion on impeachment has moved into the favorable box before she pulls the trigger on that tool. I really do appreciate her cool headed, calm leadership in this crisis. But Speaker, if you ever read this (I’d be so honored, I’d drop my pen) I’m an American and I think you must do it- there can be no other honorable course of action now.
When they defy Congress, when they mock the very institutions that are supposed to be their check, they dishonor themselves but as Barr and Trump prove, honor is nothing but a nuisance to them. Honor and ethics make too many people do the right thing, which is, curiously, always the “Wrong” thing for them. No- appeals to their honor are like shouted calls into the void of space, they are doomed to be ineffectual. We must force them to obey our laws, their honor will never compel them to do so. That’s why we have prosecutors, why there are courts and why impeachment exists in our system. Because such people also exist in our nation.
To our legislators and bureaucrats, anyone, really, who can speak up or out with information or evidence that can help the cause of justice, I’m sending this to you because I’m a little guy, the writing of this opinion and voting are about all I’ve got to help in the battle but we all do what we can.
Please, stand up and show everyone, all the criminals, all the good people of the nation, the bad ones too- that America is a nation of honor, full of honorable people who still know what shame is and don’t wish to ever wear it! Those who would not feel shame, should not commit shameful acts. It’s that simple and we aren’t changing it.
“If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.” is an American Ideal.
Don’t let them change that, the test is upon us and I just know we’ll do the right thing, I feel it deep down in my chest below the anger. It’s faith. It is my faith in who we are and that this nation will never walk that road, no matter who tries to push us down it.
It’s Thursday, I’m mad as all get out- I hope you are too! Breathe, and hold tight to your honor. When all else is gone, it’s there, as long as we act to keep it.
Kell
*Exhales*
Cross posted from Kell's World