Trump could not destroy our democracy

Admittedly, there is not much to feel good about during these terribly dark days in U.S. history.

No matter how this plays out, the wounds are deep and painful. The road to recovery is cluttered with huge political pot holes, and we can be sure that the acrimony will continue for years.

But, there is a light in the darkness; one we should not ignore and one that should give us hope for the future, even if it takes an inordinate time to repair the damage.

The light? Our democratic institutions are holding firm. Yes, they are repelling, resisting and rejecting the onslaught and pushing back successfully. We should be thankful for that and acknowledge, recognize, and be grateful that while the system may be stumbling and stuttering, it is working.

Let’s take a closer look.

• All 50 states, 27 led by Republican governors, certified their elections, ignoring the hateful, libelous and dangerous charges of a deranged and depraved president.

• Unlike in previous years, there were no “faithless electors” when the Electoral College met Dec. 14, despite protests in several states. All voted for the winner of their states’ popular votes.

• One Republican governor, in an hour-long phone call, ignored the threats of that president, the most powerful man in the world, and refused to be intimidated.

* In the courts, about 90 judges throughout the country, some appointed by the president, exercised their constitutional duties and did not cave into political pressure.

• The Supreme Court, including three justices appointed by the president, dismissed two of his legal challenges out of hand. What has gone unnoticed, the court did not even rule on two others which were pending at the time Congress affirmed the election results Jan. 6.

• Despite the violence which threatened the lives of lawmakers on Jan. 6, the Congress reconvened to affirm the election and worked through the night until about 4 a.m.

• Federal, state and local police agencies are tracking down rioters and about 90 have been arrested. They face a variety of federal, state and local charges, including charges of sedition.

• In Washington D.C., the police chief had to resign under pressure for failing to prepare properly. The sergeantsof-arms of both the House and Senate also had to resign.

• Capitol police officers who failed in their duty and others who were “complicit” with the rioters have been suspended. Some may face criminal charges.

• The Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military so crucial during a crisis like the one we are experiencing, condemned the siege of the Capitol and reminded men and women in uniform of their obligation to support and defend the Constitution. They decried what they described as “sedition and insurrection” adding that President-elect Biden will become “our 46th Commanderin-Chief.” Equally important, they told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that they had plans in place to protect the country if the man who has the nuclear codes tries to engage in irrational or illegal behavior.

In the non-governmental sectors of our society, corporations are cutting their business ties with the president, and some pledged not to contribute to lawmakers who challenged the election.

A professional football coach, Bill Belichick, refused to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor, recognizing that it would be awarded by a tainted man. It is worth quoting a few sentences from Belichick’s statement:

“Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy.

“Continuing those efforts (to address inequality and social justice) while remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.”

For four years we worried that our democracy might not survive the onslaught of this man. He was tearing and ripping apart the country’s very foundation.

His niece, Mary Trump, in her book, warned us that the Trump family had created the world’s most dangerous man. She was, of course, correct.

But even the world’s most dangerous man could not destroy what the Founding Fathers created. Yes, the wounds are critical. We may need intense care to heal. But heal we will.

As we live through the last days of Trumpism, let us reflect and celebrate the strength of this free society and how, as a nation, we are fighting the worst internal threat to this country in U.S. history.