Thursday, January 21, 2021

Relief

Last night I stayed up till 3am just to see then-President Donald Trump leave the White House, get on a plane, and fly off to Florida, hopefully never to return. And when I woke up this morning, America was different. Not perfect, because it never was. Probably not even good, because ditto. But at least not plumbing the depths of malignant awfulness it has for the past four years. The ordinary America has returned - arrogant, aggressive, racist and over-armed, but at least not actively heading towards fascism and destroying the world like it has been for the past four years. And the entire world will be breathing a sigh of relief for that.

Sadly, Trump has not been arrested yet (I understand the state of New York would like a word with him, not to mention the whole "inciting insurrection" thing). Hopefully that's coming. Because the only way for America to "heal" after this is for there to be justice and accountability. And that means a full investigation of Trump and prosecution of his crimes. Letting him off the hook because he was President, or pardoning him as an act of "forgiveness", is the cowards way out, and simply encourages further misbehaviour by others in the future. If America wants to be America again, it needs to show that no-one is above the law.