(originally published January 11, 2021)
The ancient Greeks were famous for their tragedies about gods and heroes, Shakespeare was famous for his tragedies about kings and courts, but this ongoing American tragedy may outdo them all by the time all is said and done.
At the center of the tragedy is President Trump, hero as well as anti-hero. By his own words and deeds he set himself separate and a savior, which became both his greatest strength and then his most profound weakness.
President Trump demanded unconditional loyalty, subservience and allegiance, and created a division within this nation between those who gave him what he demanded and those who would not.
Now he has fallen, taken down by the consequences of his excesses. He leaves behind a damaged nation that searches for a way forward. We look for guidance from our leaders and from our pundits, but they speak with voices that do not ring true. The voices are hollow, insincere, confused, unsure.
History will eventually write of President Trump’s triumphs and accomplishments in an honest and thoughtful manner, but not today. Today appears to be a day for vengeance and retribution, a day for a wooden stake to the heart, a day to revel in the downfall of someone who flew too close to the sun.
Now more than ever we need to be honest with ourselves.
Half of the nation doubts the validity and fairness of our Presidential election. If there was fraud and cheating that did indeed influence or even change the results of the election, then this must be known. President Biden must establish a commission of the wisest among us to find the truth, but is he wise enough to do so?
There is no way forward to healing the nation without fully and honestly addressing these concerns and suspicions, but the voices whispering in President Biden’s ear may be like the sirens from the Illiad, so seductive in their partisan song of blood and vengeance that they lead him to ruin before his voyage has even begun.
President Biden will not succeed in his vision for this nation if he cannot convince those Americans who did not vote for him that he is their legitimate, duly elected president. This must be his first priority.
President Biden must also realize that he is surrounded by allies of convenience who have their own agendas – Pelosi, Schumer, Harris, Sanders, and Cortez among others – and who cannot be trusted to give him advice free from their own self-interests and prejudices. The best advice may in fact come from the other side of the aisle.
This rush to impeach President Trump during the last days of his presidency is a clear example of an extremely divisive idea that should have no place in an administration dedicated to uniting the country, and this idea should be discouraged by President Biden in a forceful and direct manner instead of weakly sidestepping around it as he has done up until now.
President Biden must also realize that kind words towards President Trump and the total rejection of disparaging or vindictive remarks will bring him much more goodwill and cooperation from Trump’s supporters than any disappointment voiced by his allies of convenience or the fickle media will hurt him. There is nobility in showing benevolence towards those who have lost the battle, and there is the real possibility that a lasting peace may be achieved by doing so.
President Biden must also object to how the First Amendment right to free speech has been stripped away from President Trump and others. This is more of an assault on our Constitution than anything President Trump has ever said. Let everyone express their opinions in accordance with the First Amendment, and let their opinions rise or fall as they may. We cannot be afraid of ideas that may be different from our own and still be free.
President Trump has earned the right to express himself to his millions of followers. If Twitter, Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon insist on using their monopolistic powers to limit ideas and opinions to only those that they deem acceptable, then it is time to recognize that social media platforms are really a new form of public utility and need to be regulated accordingly. Free speech must be available to everyone, certainly to the President of the United States. Five multi-billionaires cannot be allowed to control the thought of a free nation.
As it stands right now, President Trump finally gave a subdued and heartfelt speech that expressed his appreciation for being given the opportunity to lead the nation. It was a speech that did not include any claims about the presidential election, a long listing of his accomplishments, or attacks on his political enemies and the media. It is possible that he is beginning to develop a new perspective on his time in office now that it is clear his time is coming to an end.
Losing this election may be a somewhat humbling experience for President Trump, but how are we to know when he has been silenced? It is hoped that President Trump will eventually find a new means of expression that is more meaningful and significant than either his tweeting or his rallies have proved to be. Less entertainment and more substance would be more fitting for an ex-president.
One day, when there are events where our ex-presidents appear together, hopefully we will see President Trump standing side by side with Presidents Carter, Clinton, Bush, and Obama, honorable men who served the nation the best that they knew how, each with their own flaws and limitations along with their successes, but patriots all.
Let us not compound the tragedy by squandering this opportunity to unite as one nation with one common purpose as a free people, simply because of the inflated egos of our leaders and our collective need to even the score.