“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
― George Orwell
It’s time for healing in our nation. In fact, it’s well past time. Our American democracy has gaping wounds, and we the people long to see them closed. Yet, as with many injuries, healing only comes with an accurate diagnosis of what caused and is causing the damage. In the immediate situation, in a nation with a barricaded Capitol and threats of violence across the country, the most damage is being caused by a particular set of lies, those being 1) the 2020 election was riddled with fraud, 2) Trump actually won, and therefore 3) he is being unfairly robbed of a 2nd term. All three of these statements are inflammatory, damnable lies wounding our nation.
How do we know? Because representatives who have the most reason and resources to know have told us so. This includes then-Attorney General Bill Barr who, despite being an unflagging Trump loyalist and apologist, said there was no evidence of fraud. We know because Chris Krebs who headed the Trump Administration’s Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reported absolutely “no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.” We know because Ben Hovland, the Trump-appointed head of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission said there was no evidence of fraud. Likewise, those overseeing elections in various states – including members of the Republican Party, have told us there was no fraud and the votes have been counted and recounted as required by law. We know because Trump loyalists one after another have marched into courts of law from the state level to Supreme Court of the United States and in over five dozen court rulings have universally been told they have no evidence and therefore no case. This has not stopped Donald Trump – for whom lying is his chief skill set – from repeating these lies over and over for three months now. Trump is shameless in his lying and, perversely, this gets people to believe him because they would never lie so guilt-free and so can’t imagine anyone would.
Trump even pre-lied about the election outcome by casting doubt on its integrity before it happened. This was to groom his base to accept the lie when it became necessary and it appears to have worked. Last week an angry mob invaded the Capitol building with the stated purpose to “Stop the Steal’ even though there was no steal. Thus, their true purpose was to overturn a valid election. It was a Trump-inspired coup attempt but, even with the death and destruction, they felt their actions were morally righteous and politically patriotic. This does not excuse their actions; it simply notes that the responsibility does not start, nor should it end, with them. Prosecute them for their bad behavior, but they had help.
Recall Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and the 145 other Republicans who voted to overturn the U.S. 2020 presidential election. Joe Biden won by over 7 million popular votes and 74 electoral college votes. Nonetheless, these members of Congress voted to invalidate the election because of the “concerns” of those who lost. Those concerns existed only because Trump and company, bolstered by vast media networks – FOX, OAN, Breitbart, and certain members of Congress – worked to sell the lie and keep raising the level of concern. By stirring up doubt on the election outcome, they hoped to provide cover for their representatives to undo a valid election. And rather than stand up to tell the people they represented there was no evidence of fraud, these Senators and Congressional Representatives chose to perpetuate the lies and the social unrest they generate. They don’t actually believe the lies. But it serves their own personal careers and political agendas to validate them. This makes them not only liars, but craven liars. It’s unfortunate to believe and act on an untruth; it is a whole new level of betrayal to support a known lie for personal interests. Their vote may have been the cruelest cut to American Democracy because – despite their best efforts – Trump will be gone but they, their lies, and the unrest they generate will continue.
So, to the Republican Party and their followers: If you want healing, the ball is in your court. Quit repeating convenient lies. Trump is a passing problem. Trumpism’s commitment to lying is an infection in the body politic and it might be deadly. There is only one cure for this infection and that is the truth spoken by those these disgruntled citizens have reason to believe. We can be certain Trump will never do it; it is not in his nature to be honest. It must fall to others in the Republican Party to now stand up and say this was a tough but fair election and Joe Biden won it by proper Constitutional processes. Until the balm of truth is spread on this festering lie, the body will continue in dis-ease. What say you GOP? Will you stop being the party of Trump and once again become an American party? Will you heal our nation with an anti-inflammatory honesty? The cure is in your hands. What will you do?
Tikkun Olam
AB