This Is How Democracy Dies...

"So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause."

Padme Amidala, Revenge of the Sith

The Star Wars prequels at least gave us one good quote.  In the previous film, Senator Palpatine was given autonomous emergency powers in light of a coming war.  In Revenge of the Sith, the senator uses those powers to great the Empire, for security and safety of the republic, of course.  So the senator becomes the Emperor, to the delight of the galactic senate.  Senator Amidala recognizes it for what it is, a power grab that means the end of the republic.

Yesterday, we witnessed two blows to democracy as we know it in two of its previously staunchest defenders.  But what Star Wars couldn't predict is that the thunderous applause will come from only a fraction of the population.  In Star Wars, the resistance was small; most everyone sided with the Empire, until it was too late.  What we are seeing across the globe today is such division that whatever group can get a small majority can inflict potentially irreparable harm.

First, the United States Senate, led by the Republican Party, voted against calling witnesses or presenting evidence in the trial of President Donald J. Trump.  It's not surprising, it's what they told us they would do from the beginning.  But it is disheartening.

It reflects their loyalty to party, or should I say to Trump, above country.  They are too afraid of Trump's 30% base across the country to do anything against him.  We knew that the word came out that any Republican who voted inconsistently with Trump's position would have their head on a pike.   We know GOP leadership had coordinated the entire trial with the White House.   "We'll be working through this process, hopefully in a fairly short period of time, in total coordination with the White House counsel's office and the people who are representing the president in the well of the Senate," McConnell said.    We know they are still coordinating now.

WH official confirms McConnell and Trump spoke about deal to end trial next week and Trump signed off.

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 1, 2020

We also know the Republicans conceded the evidence already presented.  The deciding vote, Senator Lamar Alexander acknowledged "mountains of evidence" against Trump.

And yet, here we are.

It's not as if Republicans believed Trump was innocent.  The argument largely shifted into either the false argument that the offense wasn't a crime so it can't be impeachable, which has never been the standard, or to the argument that even if it's impeachable, he shouldn't be removed.

The Framers made it abundantly clear that even if actions are “impeachable” its up to the Senate to decide if its in the nations best interest to “remove”

Removing the President on Article I would inflict severe damage on the nation even if proven beyond doubt (which it was not)

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 1, 2020

So, we've had an impeachment from the House, though driven by Democrats, supplied with ample evidence of "high crimes and misdemeanors," leading to a trial in the Senate, in which the defendant and the judge and jury have colluded on the ultimate acquittal.  Foreign leadership is already pointing out how we are conceding our position in the world as a bastion of liberty and democracy.

“Great! No more tedious US lectures on rule of law, fair trials, evidence, equality before the law, transparency, corruption, free and fair elections” — some 130 governments around the world right now.

— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) January 31, 2020

 Ilves is the former president of Estonia.

If all of the posturing surrounding the impeachment trial were not enough, the United Kingdom finally stumbled out of the European Union yesterday.  After a deal was finally drafted and approved in the United Kingdom in December, and agreed upon by the European Union on January 23, 2020, the Brexit was finally accomplished at 11:00 pm GMT on January 31, 2020.

Not one day removed, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning to ramp up and implement full customs and border checks on all European goods entering the United Kingdom.   This is a vast departure from pre-election discussion of the goals of Brexit, which previously emphasized the ease of trade with the EU.

So, we have xenophobic and nationalistic sentiment winning the day again.  The ideal that differing parties could work together through dialog and debate, that we can do better together, has been dealt a serious blow.

The good news is that democracy is not dead, it is dormant.  It lies to us to remember where the true power lies.  With the vote.

It's up to us to remind our elected officials who they are to answer to.  Who they are responsible to.  Who puts them in power in the first place.  They are to represent us. They are to look out for the best interests of the country, even when we may not recognize it.  And they are to respond to all of their constituents.

It's a reminder that your vote matters, now more than ever.

Forgiveness

Yesterday, we witnessed one of the greatest acts of forgiveness in recent history, from the heart of an eighteen year old.

After the sentencing of Amber Guyger, Botham Jean's brother Brandt asked to make a victim impact statement.  Brandt used his statement to forgive Guyger, to plead her to go to God, to say he loves her as any person, and to ask to give her a hug.

In the midst of tragedy, in the midst of the horror, there God is.  For that kind of forgiveness does not come from man.  Our human frailties may lead us to error, but the ability to forgive it is divine.  It is the highest form of our faith.

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Ephesians 4:31-32

We forgive because we are forgiven.  We forgive only because he enables us to do so.  I cannot imagine being in that position.  I would like to believe that I would be able to rise to that level.  But I know, I would likely be consumed with vengeance.  I think I would want to be sitting at that prosecution table, looking to pile on the charges with what evidence I could dig up.

But that eighteen year old spoke with wisdom beyond his years.  He acted with more faith than most people that have sit in pews all their lives.

And the impact of his actions reached far beyond what he could have even anticipated.

Following Jean's hug, Judge Tammy Kemp stepped off her bench and walked over to Guyger at the defense table.

"You understand?" she asked.

The judge then went back to her bench and grabbed her bible.

“You can have mine. I have three or four at home. This is your job.” The judge opened the Bible and began to discuss John 3:16, indicating that this would strengthen Guyger. “You just need a tiny mustard seed of faith. You start with this.”

Guyger then embraced the judge, who hugged her back. Guyger whispered something to the judge.

“Ma’am,” the judge replied, “it’s not because I’m good. It’s because I believe in Christ. You haven’t done so much that you can’t be forgiven. You did something bad at one moment in time. What you do now matters.”

There's a lot of people that need to hear that.  There's a lot of people that need to know, that need to believe that they have not done so much that they cannot be forgiven.

Forgiveness is out there.  Mercy, grace, and love are out there.

It starts with us.  It starts with us being able to step out in faith and in forgiveness.  To forgive as we have been forgiven.

To love as He loved us.

It's what we've commanded to do.

Can you imagine what the world would look like if we did?  That's the world I want to live in.

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Matthew 6:14-15