Where are we going?

Shannon Bohrer

"In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between
large and small problems, for issues concerning the
treatment of people are all the same." - Albert Einstein

(12/2024) December is upon us; the election is over, and the election promises may have some unexpected consequences. While we know what was promised, what happens when the promises are kept? Thanksgiving was a time to be thankful, as it should be for most of us who live in a free country. Now we have Christmas, just around the corner, which is a time to celebrate Christian values and see our friends and families. The election, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all seem separate and distinct, yet they can also be related. It appears that everything, if not directly related to the election, has been influenced or affected by the outcome.

Was our Thanksgiving a reminder of everything we must be thankful for or an omen of what we can lose? Will we just talk about the Christmas values of kindness to strangers and the less fortunate, or will our actions match our words? We are a divided nation, and while half of the nation is still celebrating, the other half is apprehensive. How and when our differences can be lessened or diminished is unknown. Half see a bright future, and the other half see a future with hardships and tribulations.

News media outlets continue to discuss the future under the new administration, questioning our future. Will the new administration stop the wars/conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as promised? Or, without our support, will some of the disputes expand? If the new administration institutes a 20 percent tariff on all imports, will we experience a return of inflation? If we deport eleven million undocumented immigrants, "Operation Aurora," what will the cost include? Will the price include the loss of labor, and if so, what happens to the economy? The new president also said, "I want to drill, drill, drill," talking about oil. Of course, currently the oil companies produce the most oil they have ever made.

While the winner was elected with both the electoral college and the popular vote in a fair election, there is considerable consternation about our future related to the previously mentioned promises and a few others. Many citizens who voted for the president-elect have expressed the view that not everything that was promised will be delivered. Others see his promises as a road map to be followed and look forward to the enactment of his policies. A fair argument could be made that many politicians' promises are never realized.

The president-elect made numerous additional promises, one of which greatly bothers me. He repeatedly said he would pardon the "people who were arrested for their role in the riot at the capital in Jan. 6, 2021..." His party created a choir group of insurrections that attended and performed at many of his rallies. The chorus released a single that includes a recording from the former president. The charged and convicted have been labeled as both patriots and political prisoners, not just by him but also by members of his party.

I have strong beliefs in the criminal justice system. I was in law enforcement for 42 years, full-time and 10 years part-time. The criminal justice system is supposed to represent fairness to the citizenry, with no one above the law and with equitable enforcement. Being treated equally in the eyes of the law is foundational to a democracy. I understand that we have problems in our criminal justice system; I even wrote a book about these issues. Our system of justice is not perfect, but pardoning persons convicted of assaulting police officers sends a message of inequality and corruption.

Ty Cobb, a lawyer who worked for the future president, said that there is a high probability that Trump "will go forward with these pardons." He further added that when done, the pardons would be viewed around the world, and not in a positive manner. He said, "I mean, this is the type of conduct that, when viewed internally, makes it impossible to distinguish the United States from a third-world country… This is lawlessness of the highest order and there’s no principal basis for it."

Why would anyone believe that pardoning people convicted of assaulting police is the correct path to take? It was reported that 114 officers were injured on January 6th, and that is just physical injuries. Since the insurrection, four officers committed suicide, and the number of officers with mental health issues is unknown. We do know that retirements are up, and hiring is down. We also know that many officers received permanent injuries and have retired on disability. One officer was temporarily blinded with bear spray, and her assailant is to be pardoned!

If there is another insurrection, what motivation would the officers have to perform their duties? If the currently accused and convicted insurrectionists are pardoned, will they return to the capital and have another insurrection – as a celebration? If so, will the capital police officers perform their duties or allow the entry? What happens if there are more disruptions and additional destruction of property? What happens if one of the pardon subjects assaults another officer?

Throughout my life, I believed that the citizenry of this nation believed in the rule of law. I now question my beliefs in that over half the citizenry voted against the rule of law by voting for an individual who labels persons who attacked police officers as "Patriots" and "Political Prisoners" and intends to pardon them.

Lady Justice is blind, as she is supposed to be, so justice should be applied with facts and not favor. If associates of the president-elect commit crimes, should officers arrest them or just turn a blind eye? With no real justice that applies to everyone, how does the criminal justice system function? When we have a justice system that is not blind and favors the individuals in a ruling party, we no longer have justice. The next step is authoritarian rule.

"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals;
separated from law and justice he is the worst." - Aristotle