Ugly Americans

With the moon a bright, white globe lighting up the nighttime sky, my wife and I ran up the granite steps. We made sure to watch out for the cluttered groups of teenagers and families in front of us, gawking and taking selfies. With the weather so nice, everyone wanted to get out and enjoy one of the last nice fall evenings before winter would settle in making nights like this a distant memory.

When we got to the top of steps, we stood in amazement. You couldn’t help but be awe-struck looking in every direction. Turn one way and you looked out at the Washington Monument and, sparkling in the distance, the U.S. Capitol Building, turn the other way and, of course, honest Abe, Abraham Lincoln, in all his marble splendor looked down on you.

Like everyone else yesterday, I couldn’t help but watch in stunned silence as protestors rallied on the National Mall and stormed the Capitol Building, temporarily halting Congress’ formal counting of state-certified Electoral College votes. I instantly thought back to my wife and my trip to Washington in 2019 and how we looked up at Lincoln, proud to be Americans, our democratic process, and America’s tenacity to overcome the tough times and succeed.

I can’t say I felt the same pride on Wednesday. In fact, I felt a myriad of emotions and knew that I would have something to say, but where to start? Here’s a few quickly pulled-together thoughts:

Time’s up President Trump

President Trump has lied continuously about the election, claiming falsely of a stolen election. “You don’t concede when there’s theft involved,” he said of the election in which he garnered seven million fewer votes. “This was not a close election.”

Unfortunately, he’s wrong. Trump ran and lost. Trump and his allies want to point to the elections in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Trump had his chance to challenge those results, demanding recounts, audits, and lawfully contesting the process in the courts. He lost there too. In all, Trump has lost more than 60 times in State and Federal court since Nov. 3. It hasn’t even been close. The time to challenge the election has come and passed.

In the end, the truth is pretty simple. The people have spoken, Trump lost. Plain and simple. Why continue to incite violence and lies? Only President Trump can answer that question.

Where’s Lincoln now?

Where’s Abe when you need him most and we certainly need him now more than ever? We need leaders with integrity who believe in the Constitution and country over party. In a speech in Michigan in August 1856, Lincoln spoke about the Constitution and could have just as easily been talking about the problems we find ourselves now. “Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties. And not to Democrats alone do I make this appeal, but to all who love these great and true principles,” Lincoln said.

Speak up, but do it in the right way

I feel the same way about the protestors in Washington, D.C. as I felt about the Black Lives Matter protestors earlier this summer. Protest until you’re blue in the face, but don’t storm the Capitol. Don’t attack law enforcement. Don’t break the law. And for the few people claiming on social media that it wasn’t the far right, but really AntiFa and BLM members dressed up in MAGA clothing that caused the most most destruction to the Capital, really? Have you seen the pictures of hordes of American’s storming the Capitol. Just stop it, you’ve lost your mind.

Finally, a positive

Yes, it’s been a crazy few weeks and probably more to come until President-elect Biden is inaugurated, but I believe strongly in the Constitution and the American way and that truth, justice and integrity will win out. I hope so. I’m counting on it and praying to God for a better future.