When Donald Trump boasted about sexual assault, he uttered words no person should say—especially the person who would eventually represent the American people and live in the historic house they finance. (A house, by the way, which Donald Trump supported not as a taxpayer but only as a sometimes taxpayer.) When Donald Trump disrespected John McCain, former presidential candidate and war hero, by saying that he was not a hero due to the fact that he was captured, he became morally unfit to serve as the commander-in-chief of the American military. When he dismissed Megyn Kelly because of her menstrual cycle and wondered about “the blood that comes out of wherever,” he made it clear what he thinks about women and their role in the world. When he praised Vladimir Putin and censured Barack Obama, he openly articulated his preference for an autocrat over the democratically chosen leader of the United States—who, by the way, won the popular vote. (Twice.) When he said he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue, shoot someone, and still win the election, he revealed the depth of his baseless confidence.
By the way, all of these statements were said before the election—before the citizenry exercised its right to vote.
Yet here we are. Donald Trump is our president: the man who repeatedly disrespected women, dehumanized immigrants, and delegitimized the first African-American president.
Except the election wasn’t free. Not only in terms of cost was the election far from free but also in terms of freedom. The declassified edition of the report of U.S. intelligence agencies stated:
“We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump.”
Defined, “we” includes the C.I.A., F.B.I, and N.S.A. All three agencies had high confidence in this statement and what a telling one it is.
An adversary of America interfered and got the result it sought. The precedent that sets is massive but, frankly, it is ignorable. Everything is ignorable. That’s why our resistance will only work if it is sustained.
One of Trump’s senior advisers (the son-in-law), the current attorney general, and the former national security advisor have all met with Russian officials. The latter two went so far as to hide this fact. The combination of that secrecy and President Trump’s own praise of Putin warrants profound civic worry and profound civic duty.
Our judges and representatives, our generals and senators, and all of the people of the United States must not sit down. Rather, they and we must stand up and speak out and resist the incompetence and indecency which now inhabits the highest levels of our government.
America’s history is not one of perfection and bliss but, instead, one defined by fought for progress and ceaseless effort. The challenges our country faces are not the challenges of an ending life; they are the challenges of birth. We are engaged in the labor of America, and we are fighting for a nation which has yet to be born: one where the freedoms all are given in theory are guaranteed in fact and where justice truly reigns for all.
Dr. Joseph Warren was an American physician and revolutionary leader who was commissioned as a Major General but chose to not exercise his rank. He fought as a private soldier with his troops and died in battle as a result of that choice. In 1775, mere months before he died, he spoke of the gravity of America to those who were living then. He said:
“Our country is in danger but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful – but we have many friends. Determine to be free and Heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question on which is suspended the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.”
Those words reach out to us across the short expanse of time. Despite all of the elections, wars, litigation and laws which have happened between then and now, they are still relevant.
On us rests the fate of America. Our experiment’s success or failure depends on us, not the president and his associates. To leave the American experiment to them would be to abdicate our duty as citizens. Consider, for a moment, the parallels between the actions that caused the collapse of German democratic institutions and the actions our current leaders have taken. Richard J. Evans of The Nation wrote an outstanding and pithy piece that explored those parallels. From the utilization of an ethnic scapegoat to the deconstruction of free press protections, what has happened and what is happening are not unalike.
Even though recent events and past events are similar, we can work to make the results different, because we are still here. No, we are not the founding fathers and mothers of America, but we, everyone who lives here, are their heirs. As their successors, we can learn from history and refuse to be distracted by feet and furniture when the integrity of our government is at stake. Yes, the Oval Office should be respected and, yes, etiquette does matter, but the deconstruction of the liberal world order and American political norms matters more. Let’s focus on that. Let’s resist.
May we join those who went before us by adding our voices to the history they made and we inherited. America is not, and never will be, a final draft. To be an American is to be an editor of that great draft we all call home.
With all of our voices and all of our hopes, may we come together and fulfill the moral obligations of our age.
May we make America.
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