by John Schneeberger, Hamilton
Former President Trump has been indicted on a conspiracy to keep himself in power using lies about a stolen election that have not stood up in court anywhere in the United States. He then is accused of using these lies to incite his supporters to attack the Capitol during a joint session of Congress to overturn the results of a verified free and fair election.
It is painfully obvious to objective observers that Trump is guilty of at least most if not all of this. He has yet to be held accountable because of the enormous immunity enjoyed by US Presidents and because of the power of his popularity in the Republican Party. He has lost the first but retains the second. This is the fault of his supporters, abetted by cynical enablers in Fox News and other media pandering to the ignorant. This cynicism should have been obvious to even casual observers because the most strident supporters of the stolen election lie, from Giuliani to Hannity, have denied in court their belief in it.
The next culpable group includes those of us who treat support for Trump and his destructive lies as just another difference of opinion. We can still be respectful but changing the subject when confronted is no longer a moral option. This is not about differences in tax policy, transgender rights, or even global warming. It is about our duty to the Republic. This is not hyperbole or corny sentiment. It is as real as the peace and civil rights we all take for granted and the horror and chaos of failed states around the world.