I thought about the times I have feared for my personal safety over the course of my lifetime and recall praying to my mom or even bargaining with Jesus for my safety. We will promise anything and everything for our safe keeping or those of the people we love during threatening times. I am not a particularly religious person, but I can be when I “need” to be. Pretty human reaction and familiar to many.
I suspect many of our elected officials found God on the Senate floor as the rioters entered the US Capitol looking for blood on January 6th. How quickly some have forgotten once the crisis was over. But is it over? I think not. Fear has been replaced by Republican bravado. Ill-advised support for Trump has replaced prayers for safekeeping to God. Our memories are dangerously short.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called ABC News from a secure location and spoke the following on January 6th:
“As a nation, I know we sit back and we’re appalled by what we’re seeing,” McCarthy said. “But I want everybody to take a deep breath and understand: We all have some responsibility here.”
All of us? Really? I thought about his words and the riots on January 6.th I wondered how he could possibly be headed to Florida today to have lunch with the person who has been accused of insighting the insurrection. Trump has been exponentially pandering and promoting violence against our democracy for months and years. You remember the day, January 6, 2021 when “The Patriots” rioted and took over the US Capitol where a pro-Trump rioter beat a Capitol police officer with an American flag after the officer had been thrown down the stairs while being kicked and beaten. You know that day? You remember that five people died? Remember?
What say you Kevin McCarthy? Who is responsible? What exactly is Trump serving you for lunch today? Will you be bringing the leftovers back for your fellow conspirators? Doggie bags filled with QAnon conspiracies? Make sure you remember to bring the sides of disinformation. Watch out because Marjorie Taylor Greene will be feasting on the lion’s share of crazy…
I was extremely hesitant to Google the premises of QAnon as I don’t want any association with this heinous group but as I sat here writing this essay this morning, I felt I must. The explosion of definitions on Wikipedia was as mind blowingly concerning as I feared. How can our elected officials be associated with QAnon? Not only associated with this ridiculous and odiferous conspiracy but card-carrying members. Where are the ethics?
Ethics? What a novel idea. Here’s what, there are codes of ethics for our elected officials. Really. It is true. In fact, there is a whole website dedicated to the codes and ethics of elected officials: The Office of Congressional Ethics. Imagine? Ethics in politics. Yes, it exists and must be enforced.
https://oce.house.gov/learn/citizen-s-guide
Denying the deaths of the precious children’s lives lost at Sandy Hook and calling a survivor of the Parkland shooting a coward is as disrespectful, dangerous and despicable as it sounds. Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly spewed this venom and the consequences have been her being recently assigned to the House education committee. She has no respect for the children’s lives lost. Do we really want her making decision on our children’s behalf and future? She is going to ensure what our children need? Seriously? Ethics. A return to ethics must be enforced and she must be removed from office. Our children’s lives and future depend on it. Our democracy requires it.
“We will not be turned around
or interrupted by intimidation
because we know our inaction and inertia
will be the inheritance of the next generation
Our blunders become their burdens
But one thing is certain:
If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy
and change our children's birthright”
by Amanda Gorman
Written by: Elizabeth Ricketson
Her Email: elizabethricketson.art@gmail.com
Her Website: https://elizabeth-ricketson.