“…for good men to do nothing”

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

                                                                                          Edmond Burke

This well known, but often forgotten statement sums up the measure of our times.  Evil is triumphing around us, among us and sometimes in us, and good men and women are doing nothing.

The fear of confronting this out of control “wacky” President is palpable in Washington, DC and across the nation.  We hear and witness rumblings of discontent on a daily basis on our TV and other new outlets, but so far no one in government or the courts of this land have called this President to accountability.  His officials continue to say that this sitting President is above the law and cannot be prosecuted as a sitting President for any criminal activity.  This was not true for President Richard Nixon, who responded to a subpoena for his hidden tapes of conversations which showed criminal activity and intent and so resigned the Presidency.

Why is this President, we call “Trump,” able to escape the long arm of the law?  A professor who teaches constitutional law from Harvard University said on MSNBC last evening that this President and his cronies seem not to recognize the different between state and federal jurisdictions and so are confusing the issue of state and federal oversight, blocking authenticate requests for information on the President’s tax returns and other records which might show criminality or intent of criminality.  The operative word is “obfuscation” as a means of blocking clarity on matters of law applying to this president.  Even Rudy Giuliani, lawyer for the President contracted himself on the issue of Ukraine, as to whether the President is withholding aid to Ukraine in order to obtain “dirt” on the son of his Democratic opponent Joe Biden.

There is no political will for impeachment, which the Democrats believe will be a distraction from the political process of an upcoming election in 2020.  Their innumerable candidates are beginning to pare themselves down to a select few and we hope and pray by the time of the election next November one candidate will be placed on the ballot for vote by the electorate in what we hope will be a fair and transparent political process.

This being a most strange time in the American (US) political experience, all the electorate having been polarized and made anxious by this President’s incessant tweets on everything from his political opponents to what he is having for dinner, the most rational response has been to listen to nothing this President says.   However, this is extremely dangerous, for while sleeping this President, who never sleeps, dismantles environmental protection for endangered species, plans strategies to bring Iran to its knees, recognizes Israel’s right to annex Palestinian territory, threatens to unleash ISIS on the countries in Europe who will not take their citizens, argues with the media about his conversations with world leaders and generally stonewalls every constitutional means to bring him under any type of oversight or responsible control.  This man loves chaos, generates chaos and makes more chaos on an hourly basis.  Gone are the opportunities normally afforded in the federal government, Senate, House and Judiciary for thoughtful and intelligent conversations!   This President makes a decision on a matter and by the next morning has changed his mind at least twice, sometimes three times, so that no advisor can even monitor, control or explain this erratic President’s actions, thought processes or goals.  If this is not chaos, I do not know another definition.  Chaos can be a creative process if allowed from time to time to settle so a new pattern can emerge in the ocean or lake.  Constant churning of the ocean or lake simply stirs a lot of mud.

Mental and moral fatigue is gripping our nation and its peoples.  Who can control this “bull in the china shop?” Who can build a wall high enough to contain his chaos?  This is the real question of our day.  If this President or any government official elected by the will of the people of the United States is above the common law which applies to all of us individually and collectively; if the courts cannot contain his mischief and the houses of Congress are unable to do so, what then is the hope for our democracy?  If one of us is above all laws, then we have elected a tyrant!

It has been said that the Revolutionary War which began and ended when the Declaration of Independence was signed by the Fathers of our Nation on July 4, 1776 proved the resiliency of democratic process, showing the will of the people in opposition to the King (or Crown) of England.  But if we have elected a tyrant in office (some say a criminal), who refuses to acknowledge the checks and balances placed on a President by the Constitution of the United States of America, which this same President swore on oath, hand on the Bible to uphold, what can be done to save our democracy and the rule of law?  This is the question of our day, which must be answered soon or we have lost everything we hold dear and cherish as a free and democratic nation.

Not being a constitutional scholar, nor trained in the nuances of constitutional law, I simply must appeal to the conscience of our nation and to general common sense.  It makes no sense for us as a nation to allow one individual to trash this nation’s freedom and democracy in his lust for power.  His lust for power is corrupting his judgment and poisoning our national life.  We might compare this man to Nero Caesar, who became mad seeking to maintain his power over the Roman senate at the same time as he destroyed all legitimate heirs to the throne.

Where then are the good men and women who will do something?  I appeal, in the name of God, to the soul of this nation.  Rise up, O men and women of valor, save us from ourselves, from our stupor of sleep, from our inaction of powerlessness.  I appeal to the Living God of Heaven and Earth, the God of this Universe, who rules and over rules in the affairs of the children of men, “Help us, O Lord!” “Please help us, as we sit and languish in the dust of inactivity, our minds dulled by the constant bombardment of the information streaming from the internet, video games, entertainment shows and the incessant tweeting of this President.  Grant us clarity of mind and thought, energy found in the integrity of doing the right thing, courage in the face of dangerous times, and resolute will to see this redemptive work for our nation through to the end, so help us God!  In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior we pray.  Amen.”

Bill Wilson, MD